Dubai and Oman are tapping into the growing Russian and CIS travel markets through regional trade shows such as MITT in Moscow and the UITT in Kiev, Ukraine.
At MITT 2002 earlier this year, Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing stand attracted hundreds of showgoers - 11.1 per cent of whom were tour operators. According to DTCM director for Russia, CIS and Baltic States, Sergey Kanaev, this was a 1.8 per cent increase over last year. Kanaev said DTCM also saw an increase in interest in Kiev, the venue for the Ukraine show UITT 2002. Both shows are organised by ITE Travel Exhibitions. Meanwhile, Oman made its debut at MITT and exhibitors reported good response from local tour operators. Presently Oman welcomes around 100,000 visitors a year and the Sultanate hopes to significantly boost the tourism industry and enhance its contribution to three per cent of GDP by 2005. Among other regional countries, Morocco has also been intensely promoting itself as a destination at the Moscow show.