Arabian Travel Market ranked 'Exhibition of the Year' by Reed Exhibitions

The Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the Middle East’s premier event for the travel and tourism industry, has been voted ‘Exhibition of the Year’ by Reed Exhibitions (RX), a leading organiser of trade and consumer events.

It topped Reed’s portfolio of more than 440 events across 32 countries for the second year in a row, and remains the group’s fastest growing tourism and leisure exhibition and the second largest after London’s World Travel Market.

Alastair Gornall, Chief Executive, Reed Exhibitions UK, and a member of its worldwide Board, said, “An extensive survey of feedback from our events portfolio put the ATM top again both for quality and actual business results for exhibitors. It is one of Reed’s most dynamic shows as it has proved with continued year-on-year growth in exhibitor numbers, space booked and business done.”

RTE Chairman, Tom Nutley, said, “The ATM could not have grown into the major international event it is today without the solid support of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister; the Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing, Government of Dubai; our official carrier Emirates and other regional tourism bodies that have backed the event since its launch 12 years ago.

“We will continue to work with these regional authorities to promote this industry which is key to future Middle East economic development and with other major worldwide players who look to the region for its substantial outbound business returns.”

The Middle East travel and tourism market, both outbound and inbound, continues to expand and reflecting this, the ATM 2005, which will run at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 3-6, currently has over 170 exhibitors from 36 countries, including 43 national tourist bodies, confirmed to participate.

The ATM 2005 is already 93 per cent contracted, and at 14,200 square metres of floor space, it is 20 per cent bigger than last year with an additional 3,000 square metres available.

“It is the fastest-selling ATM to date with growth being fuelled by the expansion of regular participants and the entry into the market of newcomers, such as the South Eastern Russian Region of Krasnodar Krai, Bolivia, represented by a private sector company, and the welcome return after three years of Brazil,” said Chris Chackal, Group Exhibition Director, RTE.

“We anticipate a complete sell out with enquiries still being processed from would-be participants from Scandinavia and the Bahamas. There has also been increased interest from the private sector in the US.”

Meanwhile, Chackal says countries devastated by the tsunami in Asia are looking to the ATM 2005 to help rebuild confidence in their tourism facilities.

He said, “Sri Lanka, Thailand and India are all exhibiting this year with India increasing its pavilion by 104 square metres to 504 square metres and Thailand taking 200 square metres.”

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