07 November 2008

Dubai Ã¢â¬Ëœdefying downturnÃ¢â¬â¢ with massive WTM presence

Dubai claims to be defying the global economic downturn with a rise in UK travellers and one of the biggest stands at next weekÃ¢â¬â¢s Word Travel Market in London.

Latest figures show a year-on-year rise of 9.2% in UK arrivals to the emirate in the first nine months of 2008 to 603,376.

Overall international arrivals were up by 8.6% in the first half of the year to more than 3.6 million, with the UK continuing to be the dominant source market

This increase is in line with a strategic plan which predicts that Dubai will be attracting 15 million visitors a year by 2015.

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing will be working to strengthen its relationship with operators and agents during WTM, which will provide a forum to promote its Dubai Expert online training programme.

The course has been expanded to cater for new projects that are unveiled in Dubai.

This, coupled with regular familiarisation trips, ensures that the travel industry is in the best possible position to sell the emirate to customers, according to the organisation.

Meetings between the DTCM and key industry partners have also been arranged to discuss plans for 2009 and innovative ways to promote Dubai to new and existing markets.

The Dubai stand at WTM, at 616.25 square metres, is one of the biggest at the exhibition hosting 120 co-participants representing the emirateÃ¢â¬â¢s hotel and leisure offerings.

These include the newly opened Atlantis The Palm, Ritz Carlton, One&Only, and InterContinental plus many other major hotel groups.

The newly revamped Destination Dubai Tourism Manual 2009 will also be available.

DTCM UK and Ireland director Ian Scott said: Ã¢â¬ÅâœDubai can feel justifiably proud of its successes so far this year: to have witnessed an overall increase in international visitor figures of almost nine per cent in the first half of this year in the current global climate is testament to the strength of its offering and the universal appeal of the endless raft of new developments that are being unveiled.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœWorld Travel Market is an excellent forum to showcase DubaiÃ¢â¬â¢s tourism offering to the travel industry and the media. It is a great opportunity for so many of our partners from the hotel and leisure industries to be able to join us on the stand, ensuring that visitors are faced with a broad overview of the latest and greatest that Dubai has to offer, and making this our largest presence at the exhibition to date.Ã¢â¬~

by Phil Davies