UK TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATION RANKS DUBAI AS TOP LONG HAUL DESTINATION IN 2001

24 July 2002

Results of a comprehensive annual Trends and Spends survey conducted by the UK’s Meetings & Incentive Travel magazine in June 2002 have ranked Dubai as the number one long haul city/state/resort in the world in 2001 according to a press release issued by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).

“Dubai has the facilities and services to compete with the best in the world and the results of this survey have established our success as an ideal incentive venue," said the DTCM Director General, Khalid A. bin Sulayem. 

The survey covers the full calendar year of 2001 and ranks destinations that are most popular for incentive travel. Dubai leads the long haul category categorized by delegate nights and is followed by Las Vegas, Cape Town, Mauritius, California, Savannah, Miami, New York, New Orleans and Orlando.

Meetings and Incentive Travel magazine is a publication containing industry news, destination reports and articles and its primary target audience is event organizers. Published 10 times per annum with a current circulation of 16,200 copies (ABC certified), Meetings & Incentive Travel magazine is one of the leading UK meetings industry magazines.

“Dubai is a favored destination by UK incentive travel organizers and we will not only sustain our strong showing in the UK market but develop it further,” remarked Mr. bin Sulayem.

The UK is one of Dubai’s principal travel origin markets in Europe accounting almost 350,000 hotel establishment guests in 2001 registering a growth of 16% over the previous year.

Mr. bin Sulayem extended his sincere appreciation to the many local private sector organizations that have contributed to this latest international success for Dubai and said, “The incentive travel market forms an essential segment of the travel business that is integral to the development of the emirate's tourism industry and the contributions from the private sector have been a major factor in achieving these outstanding results.”

“Incentive travel is a vital sector which brings in high-yield visitors and is also one where we have applied ourselves with renewed enthusiasm,” Mr. bin Sulayem observed.

“The DTCM will continue to progressively evaluate and identify possible avenues and market sectors that can be ventured into in the most cost effective manner in order to increase our market share from the incentive travel industry,” Mr. bin Sulayem said.

DTCM secures Dubai’s high profile at major industry specific events by leading incentive travel delegations to participate in exhibitions such as Asia-Pacific Incentive & Meetings Expo (Melbourne), UK Conferences & Incentives Exhibition - International CONFEX (London), European Incentive Business and Travel Meetings Exhibition (Geneva) and Incentive Travel and Meetings Executives Show (Chicago).

Meetings and Incentive Travel magazine is circulated to a carefully targeted audience of corporate, association and intermediary event organizers throughout the UK. Every issue is sent to requested readers, Fortune Card Club members and the top intermediary agencies - representing 66% of the total circulation. The magazine has leading UK buyers on its database and unlike other meetings magazines, Meetings and Incentive Travel is not sent free of charge to suppliers or advertisers ensuring the highest quality buyer penetration.