THE aggressive marketing drive by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and its Dubai Convention Bureau (DCB) has resulted in Dubai hosting the annual convention of Federation of Hotels and Restaurants Associations of India (FHRAI) outside the world’s second most-populous country for the first time.
The three-day convention was held at the JW Marriott Hotel from September 9 to 11 and was attended by over 500 delegates from the broad spectrum of India’s tourism and hospitality sectors. In addition, the Dubai conclave also saw international speakers from Europe and the US speaking on the latest trends in the industry, including resorts, restaurants and budget hotels.
The DCB director, Awadh Al Seghayer, said: “The selection of Dubai for this convention goes to show how popular the emirate is becoming as a convention destination in the near and far. Dubai’s world-class facilities for the MICE industry is becoming a big hit and the emirate will be playing to more and more conventions in the coming years.”
The FHRAI president, Vivek Nair, said: “This was our 40th annual convention. We selected Dubai as we are very impressed with its meteoric rise in all fields, especially the MICE sector. Dubai is a role model for us and we wanted our members to see how we too could become a major tourism player with vision, determination and commitment the way Dubai has done.”
Commenting on the arrangements, the general manager of Concord Travels & Tours, C. Sudhakar, said, “The department's cooperation was excellent and the success of this convention was only as a result of their assistance. From visas to airport handling to getting separate counters arranged for the visiting delegates, DTCM ensured the smooth operation from start to finish."