Dubai-based Alpha Destination Management is planning to organise a familiarisation trip for 500 travel agents from Germany this year in cooperation with Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Emirates airline and JT Touristik in order to attract more German tourists next summer and till the end of the year.
This was revealed by Samir Hamadeh, general manager, Alpha Destination Management after his company’s successful participation at the recently-concluded ITB Berlin.
According to DTCM’s statistics, Dubai welcomed 14.2 million visitors in 2015, a rise of 7.5 per cent from 2014. With arrivals from Western Europe up 6.1 per cent.
Hamadeh says ITB Berlin was an ideal platform to discover and understand global travel trends and gather key market insights.
Hamadeh notes that during the event Alpha met with the leading tour operators including JT Touristik, specialised in travel to the UAE, in order to further increase the number of German tourists to the Emirates.
He says the meeting bore fruit as the German companies are planning to increase the number of German visitors through Alpha by 22 per cent as compared to last year, which amounted to around 80,000.
'During ITB Berlin our company also signed a contract with Eden Viaggi, one of the leading tour operators in Italy to attract more tourists to Ras Al Khaimah in the next summer season,' he adds.
Hamadeh says the Germany is one of the major markets for Dubai in general and for Alpha Destination Management in particular.
The representatives of Alpha’s recently formed ‘Golf department’ also met with different tour operators specialised in golf to attract more lovers of this sport to enjoy their hobby and visit Dubai for its fantastic golf courses.
'Alpha Destination Management will also participate in the upcoming Sea Trade Exhibition in Miami and MITT in Moscow,' he says.
Meanwhile, Thomas Murdoch, director Golf and Recreation, Alpha Destination Management, says Alpha Golf is going to be the game-changer for the group and it will target markets such as the UK, Germany, Scandinavia, South East Asia, Japan and China.
Alpha Golf ultimately plans to become the go-to DMC for all golf enquiries into the UAE.
'With the reputation, partners and power of Alpha Destination Management behind us, we know that Alpha Golf will keep on achieving, keep on growing and keep on delivering for our clients. We have the most competitive rates across the board, enabling us to offer the most value to our clients,' Murdoch says.