JW Marriott Dubai appointed as Hosted Buyer Hotel for Arabian Travel Market 2004

The luxurious JW Marriott Dubai has been appointed the official hosted buyer property for next year's Arabian Travel Market - the Middle East's premier travel and tourism exhibition.

The 344 room flagship property in the brand's ten-year-old, 30 property portfolio, will host 50 of the world's leading Meetings, Incentive, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) buyers, and 20 of the top travel purchasers from the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), during Arabian Travel Market 2004, which will be held at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre from May 4-7.

"The JW Marriot Dubai, with more than two decades of hospitality and MICE experience in the city, perfectly fits the profile of the 2004 hosted buyer programme, which will this year focus the GCC," explained Matt Thompson, Group Exhibition Director, Overseas Events, Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), which organises Arabian Travel Market.

"Our on-going research reveals that the meetings and incentives sector continues to grow across the Middle East, so this is once again, at the request of exhibitors, the focus of the 2004 programme."

Hosted buyers staying at the JW Marriot Dubai will meet Arabian Travel Market exhibitors on the show's first day to make appointments. "Because exhibitors only select the buyers they most want to meet, these sessions are extremely productive," added Thompson.

Jeff Strachan, Director of Sales, JW Marriott Dubai said: "We are hosting the ATM buyers' programme because it is the perfect opportunity to highlight the JW Marriott brand to the global travel trade industry.

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"As Dubai becomes an increasingly popular destination, showcasing our world-class property to top buyers and media will definitely give us an edge on the competition."

JW Marriott Dubai opened in 1993, and underwent extensive renovation in 1998, with the addition of four more restaurants, a piano bar, the Vienna Cafe and the Amal Grand ballroom, with a capacity of 1,000 people.

"We will certainly impress the MICE buyers with our extensive conference and meeting facilities," said Strachan. "This is a chance for them to understand our market understanding, leadership and longevity."

To date, a number of exhibitors from across the Middle East, North Africa, Asia and the Indian Sub-continent have contracted for Arabian Travel Market 2004, with organisers indicating a 15% growth on the 2003 event.

Asian countries are set to make a welcome strong return, particularly more exhibitors from Hong Kong, Singapore and Korea, after their non-attendance at the 2003 event due to the SARS outbreak.

"The Middle Eastern arena at ATM 04 is set to grow, occupying the entire convention centre and Hall 8. Growth has been seen from a number of tourist boards, in particular Turkey and Saudi Arabia, which have both doubled their stand space," said RTE's Thompson.

A number of new countries are expected to exhibit, particularly those recently added to the Emirates airline network, such as China, Russia and Japan.

"We hope that in time the US presence at ATM will grow once these routes have opened up," continued Thompson.

"With the move back to the World Trade Centre and the anticipated growth of the show, we are looking forward to the vibrant atmosphere ATM 04 will offer."