23 July 2015
- Second win in three years for Dubai Tourism's Australia and New Zealand office

- Win reflects Dubai Tourism's increased resources and activities in the region

Dubai - The Australia and New Zealand office of Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) was named 'Best Tourist Office - International' at the Australian Federation of Travel Agents' (AFTA)annual National Travel Industry Awards, which were held on 18 July in Sydney, Australia. This is the second time in three years that Dubai Tourism has won the award, having last won in 2013, and the third time in a rowthat the tourism board was nominated as a finalist.

The AFTA National Travel Industry Awards acknowledge the best of the best in the Australian travel industry, with categories covering travel agencies and individual consultants, as well as the various suppliers that support them and their businesses. Dubai Tourism faced stiff competition this year from other volume-driven destinations, beating off fellow finalists Hawaii Tourism Oceania, Singapore Tourism Board, Visit California and Tourism Fiji. The award demonstrates Dubai Tourism's strong position and trade relationships in the market, and reflects its ongoing efforts and investment in the region.

Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Tourism, commented on the win: "We are very pleased to have won this award, which recognises the great strides we have made to promote Dubai in Australia and New Zealand and encourage more visitors. Over the past 10 months we have doubled our resources in the region and developed a strong team. This has allowed us to further penetrate and strengthen our relationships with the travel trade - wholesalers, corporate, leisure, MICE and airline partners - and engage in greater activity, partnerships and education."

"In collaboration with Emirates airline,each year we bring a group of over 300 travel agents to Dubai to experience the emirate for themselves. We have also significantly increased our PR activations over the last 12 months, inviting 10 Australian TV productions to film in Dubai, facilitating three Australian radio broadcasts and hosting large groups of bloggers and social media influencers, in addition to other PR campaigns and strengthening our digital presence. All of these have allowed us to increase Dubai's visibility among consumers, and we are continuing to work very closely and successfully with partners such as Emirates and Qantas airlines to align our activities and generate success."

In 2014, Dubai welcomed more than 268,500 hotel guests from Australia and 41,700 from New Zealand, with passport holders from both countries able to obtain a visa on arrival in the UAE. Emirates airline flies direct to five cities in Australia - Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane - connecting to Auckland and Christchurch in New Zealand.

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About Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism)
With the ultimate vision of positioning Dubai as the world's leading tourism destination and commercial hub, Dubai Tourism's mission is to increase the awareness of Dubai among global audiences and to attract tourists and inward investment into the emirate.

Dubai Tourism is the principal authority for the planning, supervision, development and marketing of Dubai's tourism sector. It markets and promotes the Emirate's commerce sector, and is responsible for the licensing and classification of all tourism services, including hotels, tour operators and travel agents. Brands and departments within the Dubai Tourism portfolio include Dubai Convention and Events Bureau, Dubai Calendar, and Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (formerly known as Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment). In addition to its headquarters in Dubai, Dubai Tourism operates 20 offices worldwide.

Contacts:
Dubai Tourism
mediarelations@dubaitourism.ae
[+971] 600 55 5559
[+971] 4 201 0491

© Press Release 2015