Over 30% of AWTTE exhibitors are participating for the first time with France, Poland, Sri Lanka, UAE and Kurdistan region as new national pavilions. AWTTE 2008, that is scheduled to take place on October 16-19 at BIEL Center in Beirut, has also registered returning exhibitors from Cyprus, India, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Palestine and Turkey. The organizers state that negotiations with other countries are still in the pipeline.

Major hotel chains in Lebanon have already confirmed their participation such as Intercontinental Hotels Group, Le Royal, Four Points by Sheraton, Monroe Hotel and Markaziah Monroe Suites, Le Bristol, Lancaster and the newly opened Sun Hills Suites Hotel.

In addition to MEA, the Official Carrier of AWTTE, major airlines have also registered as exhibitors at AWTTE either with their national pavilions or in their own naming Qatar Airways, Jazeera Airways, Air France, Cyprus Airways, Egypt Air, Kuwait Airways, Turkish Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Royal Jordanian and Iran Air.

As for tour operators, many Lebanese, Cypriote, Greek, Jordanian, Turkish and Syrian tour operators will be exhibiting at AWTTE either with their national pavilions or on their own naming World of Hospitality, Saad Tours, Barakat Travel, Concord Travel, Aeolos Travel, Amphitrion Holidays, Korona Travel, Louis Tourist Agency, Astro Travel, Timmy Travel and more. Furthermore, new tour operators from Sri Lanka, India and Seychelles will participate at AWTTE 2008 naming Jetwings Travel, Creole Travel and Jagsons Travel.

Prominent tour operators from the Gulf will be participating either as exhibitors, trade visitors or hosted buyers such as Alpha Tours who already booked a stand of 48 sqm, DNATA, Net Tours, Kanoo Travel, Al Tayer and Belhasa from UAE; Al Shamil, Abdul Jalil Travel, Al Bandar and Al Khazemi from Kuwait; Zamil and Fursan Travel from KSA, Darwish Travel and Manaii Travel from Qatar to name a few.

Over 100 tour operators have confirmed their participation at AWTTE as hosted buyers from European, American, Gulf and Asian markets such as Hotelrooms Inc and Promo Tourisme from France; Globus Tours and EMS Travel from Germany; Servus Amigo from Austria; Mideast Travel, Tina Travel and Interdynamic from Greece; Baracuda, VIP Travel and Atlanta Tourism from Turkey.

They organizers are very optimistic with the number of exhibitors and participants who have joined AWTTE up till now and believe that it will be a milestone for the tourism sector in the region mainly Lebanon.