Arabian Travel Market to explore new tourism frontiers with 'Space Tourism' Seminar

Tourism industry professionals throughout the Middle East are being given an opportunity to explore the next travel frontier through a seminar on space tourism scheduled for Arabian Travel Market 2003, which will be held in Dubai in May.

The seminar will be conducted by Eric Anderson, the President and CEO of Space Adventures Ltd., the US company which offers a range of space-related packages including terrestrial training and the chance to  book a seat on the first private spacecraft flight expected to take place within the next few years.

"This is a major coup for the Arabian Travel Market seminar programme," said Matt Thompson, Group Exhibition Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), which organises Arabian Travel Market. "Space Adventures is the world's leading space tourism company offering a wide range of space  experiences, from zero-gravity and ‘Edge of Space’ flights to cosmonaut training and space flight qualification programmes to actual flights in space.

"The seminar will explain what space tourism is, the market demand and type of client it attracts. It will explore the near-term future of space tourism, such as sub-orbital space flights and outline the space  tourism opportunities for travel agents."

The free-to-attend seminar will be held at the Airport Expo Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, May 7. It is part of a business seminar programme running alongside the show, which will also feature the second Arabian Travel Market I.T. Forum.

"We anticipate the Space Tourism session will be extremely popular and while no pre-booking is required, seats will be available on a strict ‘first-come, first-served’ basis," said Thompson.

With just over two months to go before the 2003 Arabian Travel Market, the show, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, is 5% square metres larger  than last year's record-breaking event.

The show will feature its first national pavilions from Saudi Arabia and Canada and welcome the return of an Ugandan pavilion after a break of seven years.

Exhibitors from 47 countries have registered for Arabian Travel Market 2003, including destinations, tour operators, hotel groups, tourist boards, travel  technology providers, airlines, industry associations, yachting and cruise operators and tourism consultants.