Premium travel and hospitality was the focus of a new theme at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2014 with the launch of ‘Spotlight on Luxury’. The up-scale focus not only brought together luxury brand exhibitors, targeted luxury buyers and visitors and staged a number of special seminars.
The annual Arabian Travel Market (ATM) – Business Beyond Imagination opened on 5th May, 2014 to mark the most successful show to date in the history of travel events held in the Middle-East. Premium travel and hospitality was the focus of a new theme at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2014 with the launch of ‘Spotlight on Luxury’. The up-scale focus not only brought together luxury brand exhibitors, targeted luxury buyers and visitors and staged a number of special seminars.
Organized by Reed Travel Exhibitions, the show was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai.
The travel show attended by exhibitors, Industry professionals and government decision-makers at the very highest level included national tourism organizations (NTO), accommodation and venue providers, transport companies (including airlines, cruises), travel-related investment companies, medical tourism representatives, travel agents/ tour operators and travel technology companies.
The ATM 2014 calendar also encompassed more than 30 wide-ranging seminar and tech theatre sessions covering aviation, cruise tourism, mobile trends and the rising demand for wellness tourism. Some of the region’s most influential business leaders and industry experts addressed the audience at the seminars.
Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director Reed Travel Exhibitions.
The pre ATM official media briefing was followed by opening day seminar on Tourism Vision for 2020 – Dubai, which focused on growth and development in all sectors of tourism with the launching of new tourism website. From March 2014, Tourism Dirham is imposed on visitors at a flat rate of UAE dirham 15/- per room per night that will be collected at the hotel.
The Tourism Vision 2020 aims at Dubai to become the world’s most visited city. By 2020, Dubai tourism targets 20 million visitors arrival with 75% foreign travelers. This influx of travelers will have a great impact on the economy of the UAE as well as the region. A new marketing blueprint is created to ensure the rate of growth in tourist arrival continues its strong trajectory. Expansion of infrastructure and planning underway, forward by experts in the hotel industry, airline and travel companies. The seminar was headed by industry experts: H.E. Hilal Almarri DG DTCM; Ghaith al Ghaith of Flydubai; Thierry Antinori EVP/ CEO Emirates Airlines.
Other seminars held during the Event had experts on the panel, like Adel Ali; CEO of Air Arabia; Simon Lynch, Director of Business Development, Abercrombie & Kent; Mohammed Al Dhaheri, Strategy & Policy Director, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority – to name a few.
The show also bridged the world cultures colorfully displayed at the country pavilions from around the world.
Millennium Airport Hotel and the Oberoi Hotel played host to buyers and media. Millennium group of Hotels and Resorts is one of the fastest growing luxury brands in the region. Recently, the World Travel Award was presented to Ali Hamad Lakhraim Alzaabi (President and CEO of Millennium & Copthorne Middle East and Africa), to honor his contribution to the industry and his strategic role in propagating tourism growth in the region through his role at the helm of one of the region’s fastest growing hotel chain.
Photo caption: Prince Sultan bin Salman at the Arabian Travel Market.
Issam Kazim, CEO Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing.
Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Emirates airline’s divisional senior vice president (DSVP).
Seminar – Tourism Vision 2020.
Big Bus Tour.
World Travel Award 2014, Millennium & Copthorne (MidEast-Africa) Hotel Group.
Report & Photos: Saifuddin Ismailji
