DUBAI TOURISM AND COMMERCE MARKETING CELEBRATES SUCCESS IN 2006

The UK and Ireland representative office of the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has scooped several prestigious awards and received industry recognition for its efforts to promote the emirate to consumers and the travel industry in 2006. Accolades awarded to the DTCM in 2006 include leading travel industry publications such as Selling Long Haul, Short Breaks & Holidays, Irish Travel Trade News and Travel Trade Gazette – all of which recognised the DTCM as a major player and trendsetter within the industry.

One of the most prestigious accolades awarded to the UK and Ireland office of the DTCM was to be voted ‘Best UK-based Tourist Office Serving a Long Haul Destination’ by Selling Long Haul – the UK and Ireland’s leading travel trade monthly magazine dedicated to educating and informing agents on how to sell long-haul destinations and products. Plus its sister publication, Short Breaks & Holidays, named the UK and Ireland office of the DTCM as ‘Best UK tourist office promoting North Africa / Middle East’ in its Travel Awards 2006.

For the second year running, Dubai was voted ‘Best long-haul destination’ by travel agents at the Irish Travel Trade News Awards, while the industry’s leading incentive publication in the UK, Conference & Incentive Travel held a recent poll among readers to reveal that Dubai was the top incentive destination in the world. The ‘wow’ factor of the emirate, as well as its continuing programme of development will ensure it remains top of the class well into the future.

At the Travel Trade Gazette Awards, a panel of over 50 leading industry figures from travel agents and senior executives, to financial analysts and national journalists, shortlisted the DTCM for two major awards; ‘Destination/Product Training of the Year’ for its excellent Dubai Expert online travel agent training initiative and extensive educational support and ‘Tourist Board of the Year’. The plaudits also came from travel agents themselves at the Travel Weekly Globe Awards where the DTCM was recognised for Dubai Expert.

The SHINE Awards® celebrate some of the most remarkable, inspirational and successful women in the UK travel, tourism and hospitality sector. The main objective of the awards is the encouragement of personal and professional career advancement. The awards therefore recognise and highlight the accomplishment of women in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Bärbel Kirchner, director of the DTCM’s UK and Ireland office, was ‘Public Sector Woman of the Year’ runner up, when she was acknowledged for the extensive contributions made to raise awareness of Dubai.

In addition Kirchner has been appointed chairman of the Association of National Tourist Office Representatives, the principal lobbying organisation for the world’s tourist offices (ANTOR); as well as joining the board of Eventia, a trade association representing incentive travel & meetings.

Commenting on the recognition the DTCM has received in 2006, Baerbel Kirchner, director of the DTCM’s UK and Ireland representative office, said: “Dubai continues to grow in popularity as a year round holiday destination offering something for everyone and it has been the DTCM’s responsibility to successfully ensure that consumers and trade partners in the UK and Ireland understand the diversity of the emirate and its versatile offering which will ultimately result in increased visitors from these key source markets to Dubai for both leisure and business.”