TWO MILLION READERS IN HONGKONG & MACAU TO READ ABOUT DUBAI'S ATTRACTIONS

Dubai's attractions as a tourist destination will be in focus across Hong Kong and Macau following the hosting of a media mission by the Government of Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).

The combined circulation of the four publications is around two million readers. The publications include three dailies - Apple Daily, Hong Kong Economic Times, Sing Tao Daily and a weekly - Cup.

"There are several effective marketing techniques for promoting a destination, but hosting familiarization visits offer the actual first hand experience, easily marking them out as the most persuasive destination marketing tool available," said DTCM Director General, Khalid A. bin Sulayem.

"The DTCM's ability to develop well-planned familiarization tours has contributed to increased awareness of Dubai as a destination and in turn spurred the growth of the tourism business," stressed Mr. bin Sulayem.

He noted that hotel guests to Dubai from the Far East increased by 4.4% in 2000 to reach 154,715. A team of four journalists representing the Chinese-language publications visited Dubai recently to gather information for a series of articles on the emirate both as a tourist destination and business centre.

The journalists received a comprehensive presentation on the destination and its attractions by DTCM Manager Missions, Hamad bin Mejren, including a brief on the department's role in promoting Dubai world-wide and about recent initiatives undertaken by the DTCM to promote the destination in the Far East.

Mr. Mejren noted that through familiarization trips a journalist is able to witness how the various components of a destination fit together to form a complete package.