THE upcoming session of Mediterranean Travel Fair (MTF), to be held in Cairo from September 5 to 7, should continue unaffected by the recent events in Lebanon, says Chris Chackal, group exhibition director, Reed Travel Exhibition (RTE), organsiers of the show.

In fact, there will be a strong Lebanese presence at the show, he says.
“We are expecting the same amount of visitors as last year if not more but this will be more evident on the actual show days. Currently our pre-registration figures show a very healthy increase in trade buyers compared to this time last year,” he told TTN.
 On the sales side, he said, RTE is still managing requests coming in to exhibit. “We have already received confirmations from most of the countries in the region including Lebanon who will be exhibiting on 62sqm, represented through their local office in Cairo.“
MTF 2006 is set to be a key forum for new announcements. It is attracting a considerable number of exhibiting companies and is expected to generate significant momentum for the hospitality industry within the Mediterranean region.
According to sources at RTE, many participants recognise the value of the event as main business enabler and are are currently fine-tuning their announcements and initiatives to launch them during the exhibition in September.
The InterContinental Hotel Group in Egypt have participated at MTF since its inception in 2000 and will use the exhibition to promote the opening of its new asset Holiday Inn Citystars. The new hotel, which adds up to 330 rooms to the portfolio of InterContinental Hotels in Egypt, is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2007.
“It is a great opportunity to be present in such a prestigious event. It creates significant exposure to our properties in the country and helps us meet with potential buyers,” says David Traynor, area director of Sales & Marketing. 
The Four Seasons Hotels in Egypt, another frequent participant in MTF, will celebrate the introduction of its fourth property in Egypt, the 120-room Four Seasons Alexandria, at MTF 2006. “MTF has always represented an opportunity to showcase our business portfolio in Egypt. Besides demonstrating our strong commitment to the local market, it also supports our engagement activities,” says Cesare Rouchdy, senior director of marketing Four Seasons Hotels Egypt.
Spring Tours Egypt’s participation comes as part of ongoing efforts to approach new markets. “We have been loyal participants since 2000 and we can recognize the value of MTF in terms of strengthening relations and expanding the cycle of contacts,” says Andreas Harter, general manager of Spring Tours Egypt.
“I am very pleased that MTF is gaining this recognition. We will continue to develop this world class event to enable our loyal customers capture growth opportunities in the Mediterranean travel market,” says Chackal.

by Keith J Fernandez