Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM)'s London office voted best UK-based tourist office promoting the Middle East

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) made a terrific start at the World Travel Market in London by bagging the coveted honor of "Best UK-based tourist office promoting the Middle East" from the prestigious publication Selling Long Haul. 

Accepting the award on the Dubai stand at WTM, DTCM Director Operations and Marketing, Mohammed Khamis bin Hareb said, "This is a hat-trick of victories for the department as we have won this award for the third consecutive time since 2000.

"This award is indeed a classic example of the triumph of teamwork, inventiveness, ingenuity and serious strategy in positioning Dubai in this important market," remarked Mr. bin Hareb.

"Dubai has clearly made a mark as a top class destination and I would like to pay special tribute to the efforts of the private sector in Dubai who have worked alongside the government to create the Dubai tourism product - this is not just an award for DTCM UK - but a recognition for the entire team promoting the destination," Mr. bin Hareb added.

Selling Long Haul is one of Britain's leading travel trade publications - an industry journal providing information for travel agents selling long haul travel and tourism. The target audience for this publication comprises managers and senior counter-clerks of all ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) travel agencies.

Selling Long Haul was first published in 1990 and over a decade has grown into a must read journal for travel professionals selling long haul across the UK and Ireland. Selling Long Haul is published monthly with a minimum of two copies circulated to every retail travel agent and tour operator in the UK and Ireland and Selling Short Breaks is published bi-monthly. Both have a total circulation of 17,200. They are designed to offer agents and operators a regular update on, respectively, long-haul products and news and short breaks products and news. Both are, as such, unique.

Alan Orbell, editor of Selling Long Haul said, "In April 2002 a four-page questionnaire was sent out with all copies of Selling Long Haul and Selling Short Breaks inviting travel agents to vote for the companies they considered to be the best in 106 different categories across the long-haul and short breaks sectors.

"No nominations were given so agents had a completely open mind about which companies they voted for. They were simply asked to vote for the best as far as they were concerned; best in terms of efficiency, product range, pricing, friendliness, accessibility and, in this instance, best in terms of environmental awareness," he added.

DTCM Director UK & Ireland, Barbel Kirchner stated: "We are delighted to receive this prestigious award for the third consecutive year. We are also pleased that our partners in the British travel industry have recognized our team's efforts and commitment. We encourage a close working relationship with the travel trade and will endeavor to continue to provide our ongoing support."

The presentation of the award underscored the incredible opening day response to the Dubai participation at WTM. A record total of 84 organizations and around 200 senior travel trade professionals are exhibiting on the DTCM stand at the event representing the crème de la crème of the emirate's travel trade fraternity.

Interest from the British travel trade and media was high as ever and the number of visitors on the Dubai stand was exceptional. "This was largely due to the pre-event marketing campaign conducted by the DTCM," remarked added Mr. bin Hareb.

The UK is decisively the largest travel origin market for Dubai outside the AGCC, which makes the World Travel Market an important fixture for Dubai.