The 2007 edition of Arabian Travel Market attracted the highest visitor turnout in its 14-year-history with some 23,449 people from 108 countries attending. Preliminary figures for the event at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) showed an eight percent increase in visitors on last year with the geographic footprint of the turnout expanding to nine more countries.

Media interest also grew, registering a seven per cent rise with more than 1,000 local, regional and international journalists covering the event.

Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), which organises Arabian Travel Market, said it is now looking to take the event to “the next level.”

“We are gauging industry feedback from both the exhibitor and visitor perspective to move the show on to a whole new parameter which will reflect the enormous advances the travel and tourism sector is now making,” said Mark Walsh, RTE Group Exhibition Director – Overseas Events.

“One idea up for discussion is the introduction of new vertical, industry-specific pavilions.”

At the end of its four-day run, Arabian Travel Market 2007 attracted 12,859 trade visitors - up 5.1 percent on 2006, while an eight percent increase on overseas visitors was recorded.