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Arabian Travel Market opens today on industry high

Strong regional tourism figures push annual travel trade exhibition into the spotlight - 88 new exhibitors and 46% surge in pre-registered visitors underscores upbeat industry sentiment
Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2012, the region's leading trade exhibition for travel industry professionals, has seen a 46% rise in visitor pre-registrations, against 2011 figures, for its 19^th edition, opening this Monday, 30 April.

2012 has seen a 7% increase in exhibitors with more than 21,000 square metres of floor space hosting over 2,400 exhibitors and 82 new companies. This increase is also reflected in its international reach with 54 national pavilions and 87 countries represented overall.

"The trend that we've witnessed in previous years, has continued, with visitor pre-registration numbers substantially up and 11 new destinations exhibiting including Moscow, Romania, Zimbabwe and Mauritius. ATM is always a timely reminder of the major contribution that the travel and tourism industry plays in the regional economy," said Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, organiser of Arabian Travel Market.

According to Walsh, travel agent registration is also up by a staggering 213% this year, with trade visitor pre-registration surging by 38% and Buyers Club by 35%. "Reflecting the region's proactive approach to the tourism sector as a major economic driver and 18 months on from the Arab Spring, we have seen a significant jump in interest from within the GCC, which is confirmed by the positive pre-show figures we have seen across the board," remarked Walsh.

Further buoyed by the launch of the weeklong Tech Theatre, which will run alongside the popular seminar series, and give visitors the chance to gain invaluable insight into leading edge industry-related technologies including social media and GDS direct access, the event has attracted experts and thought leaders from across the industry spectrum including Akbar Al baker, CED, Qatar Airways and Rudi Jagersbacher, President, Hilton Worldwide Middle East and Africa.

The four-day programme for ATM includes the seminar series, workshops and specialist industry days including a Travel Agent Day, sponsored by TTN, which has taken a new direction this year tying in with the technology focus, and careers focus aimed at encouraging emerging young talent as well as enabling exhibitors to promote company vacancies or find a job online through the Arabian Travel Market job board.

"For the first time in the 19-year history of the show, Tourism Ministers from across the Middle East will come together today for a special session that will focus on driving the region's tourism agenda," said Walsh.

"Our decision to invite the region's tourism ministers was spurred not only by the wave of positive sentiment felt across the industry as the first signs of post Arab Spring democracy have emerged, but by the points raised at the UNWTO/ATM session at last year's World Travel Market. We expect that the UNWTO and ATM forum will have a significant and positive effect on regional collaboration to sustain growth in the travel and tourism sector here," he added.

Now approaching in its 19th year, the show has grown to become the largest showcase of its kind in the region and one of the biggest in the world. In 2011, Arabian Travel Market featured 2,236 exhibitors across more than 20,000 square metres, attracting more than 22,000 visitors.

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For more information on Arabian Travel Market 2012, please log on to www.arabiantravelmarket.com

About Arabian Travel Market
Arabian Travel Market 2011 boasted more than 2,200 exhibitors and stand-sharers, from 69 countries. Arabian Travel Market is part of the Reed Travel Exhibitions' portfolio, which includes 15 of the world's leading travel industry events. For more information visit www.arabiantravelmarket.com

Reed Travel Exhibitions
Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) is the world's leading provider of exhibitions in the travel and tourism industry. Its wide-ranging portfolio of events around the globe covers leisure travel, luxury travel, business travel and the meetings and incentives industry.

The 13 events are; World Travel Market (WTM), Arabian Travel Market (ATM), International French Travel Market (IFTM), La Cumbre, International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), International Luxury Travel Market Asia (ILTMA), Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) (owned by Melbourne Convention Visitors Bureau), Global Exhibition for Incentive, Business Travel, and Meetings (EIBTM), Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (GIBTM), Americas Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (AIBTM), China Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (CIBTM) and Business Travel Market.

April 2013 will see RTE will launch World Travel Market Latin America in São Paulo.

RTE is a business unit of Reed Exhibitions. In 2011, six million participants attended RE's 500 events in 39 countries covering 44 industry sectors from aerospace and aviation to beauty and cosmetics to sports and recreation.

Reed Exhibitions is owned by Reed Elsevier, the world's leading provider of professional information and online workflow solutions.

www.reedtravelexhibitions.com

Reed Exhibitions
The world's leading organiser of trade and consumer events running over 470 events in 37 countries. Reed Exhibitions excels in creating high profile, highly targeted business and consumer exhibitions and events to establish and maintain business relations, and generate new business.

Reed Exhibitions network of offices and promoters extends to 65 countries. www.reedexpo.com

Reed Elsevier
Reed Elsevier is a world leading provider of professional information and online workflow solutions in the Science, Medical, Legal, Risk Information and Analytics, and Business sectors. Based in over 200 locations worldwide, they create authoritative content delivered through market leading brands, enabling their customers to find the essential data, analysis and commentary to support their decisions.

www.reed-elsevier.com

For more information, please contact:
Nathalie Viselé
Director
Shamal Marketing Communications
PO Box 502701
Office 106, Al Sufouh Tower
Dubai Media City
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Office: +971 4 3652711 I Direct : +971 4 3652712 I Mobile : +971 50 4576525
Fax:+971 4 4278703E-mail: nathalie@smc-pr.com I Web site: www.smc-pr.com

© Press Release 2012

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