Over 50 Bahrain Tourism Businesses Expected at ATM 2004

Bahrain's Department of Tourism Affairs will be heading its strongest ever delegation from the Kingdom with more than 50 businesses expected at the Arabian Travel Market 2004 (ATM), the premier tourism and travel show in the Middle East.

The island is expecting a boom in its tourist trade this year, boosted by the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, the first visit of Formula One racing to the region, at the Kingdom's new state-of-the-art racing circuit.

The Department of Tourism Affairs is predicting that the number of visitors to Bahrain will break through the five million mark this year, well ahead of last year's total of 4.84 million.

Bahrain organisations exhibiting at their own stands at ATM at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 4 - 7, include Gulf Air, tour operators and travel agents KK Holidays and Sabre Travel Network along with travel publications TTN Travel & Tourism News and The Arab Traveller.

Bader Nasser, Head of Marketing for Bahrain Tourism Affairs, said: "As well as the exhibitors who have taken stands we will be providing facilities for about 50 Bahrain travel and tourism business that will use our pavilion during the show.

"We will focus on promoting our joining the Formula One racing circuit which we see as a major boost for tourism in the coming years."

Matt Thompson, Group Exhibitions Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), which organises ATM, said the show signalled a strong increase in intra regional tourism.

"This is reflected in a healthy increase in the number of companies and tourist organisation from the Middle East who are participating at the show this year," he said.

To date, exhibitors from 55 countries have signed on for ATM 2004 which is already bigger in floor space by 25 per cent on last year's event.