DWTC wins bid to host nine Congresses
Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has won a strategic bid to host nine new international congresses at the venue from 2017 to 2021, adding to its already robust calendar of confirmed events over the coming years. Expected to welcome over 24,000 delegates from around the world, these high-profile events are set to deliver strong economic boost for the emirate while facilitating growth in key sectors including healthcare, energy and environment, and engineering.
DWTC hosted 34 diverse congresses in 2016 including The Society of Petroleum Engineers Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition which saw over 7,000 delegates; THINK SCIENCE 2016 which saw over 7,000 visitors, the 34th International Congress of the International Society of Blood Transfusion which saw over 3,000 delegates; and YPO Global Leadership Conference 2016 which saw over 3,000 visitors.
INTERNATIONAL Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) has announced a new event to its global portfolio: ILTM Arabia – in a co-located event with Arabian Travel Market (ATM), on 24 and 25 April in the International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Dubai.
ILTM Arabia will be the first high end luxury travel event to access the high net worth traveller from the Arab and Gulf region, with buyers from across the GCC region with strong presence from UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Buyers will be fully hosted by ILTM and attend one-to-one, pre-scheduled appointments with up to 25 international luxury travel brands – a first for ATM and the proven successful ILTM portfolio format.
The Arabian outbound travel market witnessed a 9 per cent increase as high-net worth travellers from the region continue to explore further afield, expenditure on outbound travel from the Middle East has steadily increased from $72.9 billion in 2012 and is expected to reach $165.3 billion by 2025 according to Travel & Tourism – Economic Impact 2015, Middle East published by World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Positive forecast at hotel investors’ summit
INCREASING numbers of travellers from newer source markets like India, China, Far East and Saudi Arabia will eventually allow a return to growth in the region’s large hotel industry, according to industry experts at the Gulf Indian Ocean Hotel Investors’ Summit (GIOHIS 2017). Marko Vucinic, SVP MENA, Hotels and Hospitality Group, JLL MENA noted “India is now Dubai’s first source market and countries such as China are targeted by Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing in their campaigns. The UAE market will remain under pressure in the short term, while in the long term we expect more positive sentiment.” The UAE is currently building its place on the international map with the addition of new leisure, entertainment and tourist offerings.
With an eye on the long-term trends in the sector, large hotel brands are consolidating into giant travel companies to combat the marketing power of the online travel agents, who are meanwhile strengthening their grip on the online booking market. Major merger in bedbank business
HOTELBEDS Group, a global bedbank and business-to-business provider of services to the travel industry, has announced today plans for Tourico Holidays to merge with its Bedbank business unit. Commenting on the news, Joan Vilà, Executive Chairman of Hotelbeds Group said, “The proposed deal will enable us to enhance our footprint, especially in Tourico Holidays’ home market of North America whilst they will benefit from belonging to Hotelbeds Group’s global network. Together we will combine our best in class technology and distribution expertise for the benefit of both our hotel partners and clients.” For the time being, both businesses will continue as usual, focusing on our top priority: providing the best possible service to our hotel partners and clients.”
Hotelbeds Group is the world’s number one bedbank and a business-to-business provider of services to the global travel industry. Operating mainly under the Hotelbeds and Bedsonline brands, the company connects, 35,000 travel intermediaries across more than 120 source markets globally with travel providers in over 180 countries representing more than 120,000 hotels, 20,000 transfer routes and 12,000 activities.