Category Archives: Exhibitions

Events for Tourism Growth will be adopted as the official show theme for Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2020, taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre from April 19-22, 2020. According to data from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the direct contribution of travel and tourism to the Middle East’s GDP is predicted to rise by 4.2 per cent per annum to US $133.6 billion by 2028 – driven in part by additional tourists to the region as a result of mega-events, major sporting and political events, cultural festivals, concerts and MiCE events.  Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said, “Events of all kinds have become increasingly important drivers for international arrivals to the UAE, GCC and wider MENA region over recent years.  With this in mind, ATM 2020’s spotlight theme will be launched as a platform to explore the impact events have on tourism growth in the region and to inspire the travel and hospitality industry about the next generation of events, while bringing together senior travel executives to meet and conduct business under one roof over four days.” ATM, considered by industry professionals as a barometer for the Middle East and North Africa tourism sector, welcomed almost 40,000 people to its 2019 event with representation from 150 countries. With over 100 exhibitors making their debut, ATM 2019 showcased the largest ever exhibition from Asia.

Leisure Moscow will celebrate the 25th edition from September 10-12 at Expocentre Fairgrounds. One of the key programmes this year is the international forum for tourism industry professionals and experts. The theme will be new destinations and territory marketing. The new generation of tourists and digital technologies inspire changes in the travel industry that require a flexible approach. There will be emerging of new niches and increasing competition between routes and regions. What is the next step in the industry development, and how to predict trends? What destinations will be relevant? What prospects have been opened by the event tourism over the past 5 years (on the example of Sochi 2014, 2018 FIFA World Cup)? How the cultural tourism develops? These and other topics will be discussed by experts and professionals during all three forum days. Last year, the exhibition attracted 870 exhibitors from 41 countries and 44 Russian regions with 38,303 visits in 15 000 sqm exhibition area with 287 media attendees and 80 media partners.

In line with its commitment to play a key role in further advancing Dubai’s leadership in global trade and e-commerce, Dubai South brought to the spotlight the emirate’s advanced logistics connectivity and innovation among a global network of transport, logistics, mobility, IT and supply chain management companies when it participated at the Transport Logistic Exhibitions in Munich from June 4 to 7, 2019. It showcased major projects under Dubai South’s Logistics District which provide various business solutions. Dubai continues to lead globally in terms of attracting foreign direct investments (FDI) as it increased by 41% in 2018, valued at AED 38.5 billion considering its pioneering efforts in innovation and digital transformation. From 2015 to 2018, the emirate has attracted a total of USD 21.6 billion worth of FDI in advanced technology transfers. It also continues to surpass leading economies such as the US, UK and South Korea in the Smart Service Index, having achieved sixth position in the global rankings. Dubai South’s multi model Logistics District provides seamless access to seaports, airports and major roads, reflecting its advanced connectivity and flexibility. It has created various solutions such as ready-to-occupy and built-to-suit options for various types of business operations such warehouses and distribution centers.  As well offering various office solutions through its facilities at The Business Park, a complex of 11 modern buildings equipped with state-of-the art amenities just right at the entrance of Dubai South. Commenting on the participation, Mohsen Ahmad, CEO, Dubai South’s Logistics District, said, “Participating at the Transport Logistic Exhibitions brings a lot of enthusiasm for Dubai South as we anticipate positive responses to our latest projects in the Logistics District. These initiatives are designed to offer …

Great value ticketing at Expo 2020 Dubai will open doors to a world of fun, culture, entertainment and innovation, and ensure the six-month spectacular is a global celebration for all. A single-day adult (18 and above) ticket will cost AED 120 (USD 33), while a three-day pass, which can be used on any three days during the 173 days of the Expo, will be priced at AED 260 (USD 71), organisers announced. A ticket will give its holder access to a once-in-a-lifetime experience, including 60 live shows a day, future-shaping technologies, performances from world-famous artists, daily parades, cutting-edge architecture, special celebrations and more than 200 F&B outlets serving a world of cuisines. Expo 2020 will offer a range of concessions, including free access for children aged five and under and seniors aged 65 and above. Youth aged six to 17 and students of any age will receive 50 per cent discount, while people of determination will be granted complimentary access, with their carers entering for half price. The Expo School Programme also will offer specially-curated journeys for school students of all ages to excite and educate them on the Expo sub-themes. Sanjive Khosla, Deputy Chief – Sales and Marketing, Expo 2020 Dubai, said, “We aim to be a World Expo that is accessible to all and believe the ticket prices and concessions will help us achieve that ambition. We can’t wait to welcome millions of visitors from around the globe, as we make every effort to ensure that our welcome is warm and reflective of the rich Arabic tradition of hospitality.” Single-day and three-day tickets will be offered to international travellers in bundled packages to be sold by Authorised Ticket …

There was a high level of engagement between exhibitors and buyers at the IMEX show. “This has been an outstanding week of business, learning and experiences to stir the imagination,” said Ray Bloom, Chairman of the IMEX Group, as IMEX in Frankfurt 2019 came to a close. “The spectacular destinations and venues, the investment in sensational, creative stand designs and the great energy in the hall have created an inspiring environment to do business and to learn;  and from all the business being done, there is evidently a strong, positive, forward-looking mood at the show and optimism around the industry.” Close to 70,000 individual and group appointments were made with 72 per cent having a mini RFP attached. For Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, the experiences in the new Discovery Zone, the fresh ideas in the Red Lab and the new technology have stood out

Following a strong start to 2019, Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau, showcased Dubai’s dynamic business events offerings yet again at IMEX, the worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events. The aim of DBE’s participation at the event in Frankfurt, from May 21 – 23, is to position Dubai as a destination of choice for business events and incentive travel for a global audience of over 14,000 hosted buyers and trade visitors. This year, alongside more than 30 co-exhibitors, DBE previewed new project plans and milestones that demonstrate a strong focus on transforming Dubai into a global knowledge hub. In addition, the bureau highlighted some of the latest developments in Dubai’s state-of-the-art facilities, infrastructure and renowned hospitality sector. Among the co-exhibitors were Coca-Cola Arena, Expo 2020 Dubai and W Dubai – The Palm, all of whom shared new and upcoming offerings with event planners, while the likes of Dubai World Trade Centre, Emirates and Jumeirah Group joined DBE at the show once again, underlining the broader business events infrastructure in the city. Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said, “Business events play a pivotal role in our city’s transformation into a global knowledge economy and our participation in events such as IMEX serve as an ideal platform to support our ambitious tourism strategy. After a strong start to 2019, DBE continues to build on its momentum, attracting events that are set to make a significant economic impact and leave a lasting legacy for delegates from around the globe.” Dubai Business Events aims to further strengthen Dubai’s reputation as a premier business events destination globally by promoting the city as …

The third ITB China successfully closed in Shanghai with around 17,000 attendees, a plus of 2,000 compared to last year. Buyers, trade visitors and exhibitors reported positive business results and experienced a unique gathering of the Chinese travel industry from May 15 to 17, 2019. The ITB China Conference, co-organised by TravelDaily China, has also maintained strong attendance figures of 4,000 in total, with positive feedback about the quality of speakers and insights generated from the sessions. In all, there were about 850 Chinese top buyers at the event. Their share significantly increased in terms of buyers coming from second and third-tier cities, running 40 per cent in total and proving the show’s acceptance in the Chinese travel market. Another highlight of the conference was the ITB China Startup Award taking place for the third time this year. This year SeeVov convinced the jury with its video based trip planning platform. First time exhibitor Italy was the official partner destination of ITB China 2019 and recorded a successful first attendance. It co-hosted the Opening Dinner one day prior to the show, attended among others by H.E. Sen. Gian Marco Centinaio, the Italian Minister of Agriculture, Food, Forestry Policies and Tourism, and Jane Sun, CEO of Ctrip or Feng Bin, Chairman of Utour. This year a broad range of 800 companies and organisations coming from 84 countries presented their products to the Chinese travel industry, reflecting ITB China has become more international and established itself as the not-to-miss event for the Chinese travel industry within three years only. “We have set out to build the show as the key knowledge platform in China by boosting even more content and innovations this year …

This year’s Arabian Travel Market witnessed over 40 airlines and 300 delegates attend the inaugural CONNECT Middle East, India and Africa exhibition. The two-day meet, co-located with Arabian Travel Market 2019, united airline and airport executives with manufacturers and suppliers, and provided a global forum for business and networking opportunities. Alongside the conference programme, delegates had the opportunity to book one-to-one appointments in airline and airport meeting lounges and enjoy evening networking events. Karin Butot, CEO, The Airport Agency, said, “CONNECT is a new addition to the route development calendar and co-located with ATM is a natural choice given the unprecedented growth in aviation across the region. We look forward to welcoming delegates to what promises to be a series of lively debates and discussions.” The Middle East’s airline seat count has doubled in the last 10 years, and last year saw 264.31 million scheduled departing seats, according to anna.aero data. Growth has been fuelled by the major expansion of scheduled carriers and more recently, low-cost airlines, which now accounts for 16 per cent of all departing seats. Dubai International Airport, the world’s largest airport for international passenger numbers, recording 89.1 million passengers last year, accounted for 22 per cent of all departing seats in the Middle East. Nick Pilbeam, Divisional Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, said, “Two-thirds of the world’s population are within an eight-hour flight of the GCC and the region’s airlines are continuously adding new routes, to connect to fresh destinations.” Kicking off the two-day event was a training workshop entitled ‘The Simpson Paradox in Donut Crunching’ – showing how best to achieve better data accuracy when estimating a route’s potential. John Strickland, Director, JLS Consulting, gave a keynote …

The cuisine, art, fashion and landscapes of Italy are attracting more visitors from the Middle East in recent years, with figures released today showing visitor numbers increased by 21.97 per cent in 2017 compared to 2016, a rise from 157,000 to nearly 200,000 travellers. The figures were announced during a press conference at the Arabian Travel Market, which was hosted by Filippo Del Corno, Deputy Major for Culture, Municipality of Milan; Lara Magoni, Councilor for Tourism, Territorial Marketing and Fashion of the Lombardy region and Alessandra Zita from the Italian Government Tourist Board (ENIT). Visitors from the UAE are the top Middle Eastern spenders in Italy parting with 180 million euros in 2017, followed by visitors from Saudi Arabia recording 120.3 million euros spend in the same year. ENIT has also revealed that the most popular regions for travellers from the Middle East include Lazio, Lombardy, Veneto, Tuscany, Piedmont and Emilia Romagna. According to ENIT, the Made In Italy brand that is synonoumus with high-quality design, craftsmanship and production, is a driving force behind the increasing tourist figures from the Middle East. The Lombardy region of Italy (an area which covers Milan, Lake Como and Lake Garda), had the privilege to host the eclectic artist, Leonardo da Vinci, for many years of his working life. This year is the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death and his creative genius, along with the region’s cuisine, fashion and design, is being celebrated during ATM in a dedicated zone at the Italian Pavillion. In addition to the Lombardy region zone, there is a dedicated area demonstrating Italian-style wellness for visitors to enjoy; a virtual reality experience covering art, food and lifestyle all …

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, has inaugurated the 26th edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM). He was joined by Helal Saeed Al Marri, CEO, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Director-General of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), plus other VIPs who embarked on a tour of the show floor as the four-day event got underway at DWTC. Taking place from April 28 to May 1, this year’s event has 400 main stand holders with representation from over 150 countries. With more than 40,000 visitors expected to attend the event, ATM 2019 will showcase over 2,500 exhibiting companies – of which 100 will be making their show debut. The 26th edition of ATM will form part of the inaugural Arabian Travel Week, as well as ILTM Arabia, CONNECT Middle East, India and Africa – a new route development forum launching this year and new consumer-led event ATM Holiday Shopper. Other highlights will include the debuts of Arabia China Tourism Forum and Hotel Industry Summit, as well as the return of Global Halal Tourism Summit. As this year’s main theme, cutting-edge technology and innovation will be integrated across all show verticals and planned activities.