RIYADH Travel Fair (RTF) will launch its third edition from May 23 to 26 with exhibitor numbers up on last year and visitors expected to top 30,000.
The show will take place at the Riyadh International Exhibition Centre, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and, according to general manager Bander Al Gryni, returning participants will be coming from Egypt, Turkey, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Italy, the UAE, Oman, India, Morocco, Syria, Slovakia, Kuwait, Jordan, Austria, Germany, Poland, Mexico, Lebanon, the UK, Singapore, France, Bahrain, the US, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and closer to home from within Saudi Arabia.
Last year 130 exhibitors from 28 countries, including travel companies and tourism boards, took part and this year the number is expected to top 35 countries.
The 2010 edition welcomed 24,873 visitors, an increase of 24 per cent on 2009, and this is also expected to grow again this year.
First-time exhibitors at the show will include the government of Ras Al Khaimah, India Tourism, Tunisian Tourism and Mauritius, alongside private sector companies and international buyers.
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Visitors at last year’s event |
Attendees are expected to range from hoteliers and major international hotel brands to Saudi and international airlines, travel agents, car hire companies and regional and international tourism bodies.
Al Gryni said: “RTF combines business and meetings in an incredible and festive framework. At RTF 2011 visitors will find cultural and heritage seminars with many speakers from Syria, Malaysia and Jordan, plus local folklore bands.”
The theme of the RTF 2011 is ‘Destination 2011 for everyone at anytime’ and the event aims to provide a single platform for international and national organisations involved in the travel tourism, aviation, hospitality and transportation fields to get together and come up with suggestions and solutions for the better development of the industry.