Office will seek to increase inbound tourism to Dubai from across South America

Dubai:  27th April 2013: Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has announced the opening of a representative office in Brazil, as part of its strategy to attract visitors from the burgeoning South American tourism market.

The announcement was made at the World Travel Market Latin America, in Sao Paulo, Brazil.  Speaking to an audience of travel media, Hamad bin Mejren, DTCM's Executive Director for Business Tourism, stated: "The opening of our first South American office demonstrates the importance we are placing in increasing relationships with the tourism industry of this market. The office will focus on promoting Dubai as a leisure and MICE destination to the whole Latin and South American market but specifically to Brazil and Argentina. The initiatives that we run through this office will drive visitor numbers from a market that we believe has huge potential."

Emirates Airline operates direct flights to both Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo and close to 40,000 Brazilians visited Dubai in 2012, a 28% increase on 2011. In addition, last year 300,000 Brazilians transited through Dubai International Airport - a 61% increase - showing that Dubai is fast becoming a platform from which to reach the markets of both China and Africa. The Emirate is also growing in popularity with organizers of Brazilian Incentive Trips.

His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of DTCM and CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre commented: "Brazil is Dubai's primary business partner in Latin America so in delivering our strategy to increase visitor numbers from the region it was the natural location of choice for our first South American representative office. Trade between Brazil and the UAE is increasing exponentially and with the connectivity Emirates provides, there is significant potential to grow this market. By opening this office we hope to double the number of visitors from Brazil from 40,000 in 2012 to 80,000 in 2014. The expertise of the regional office will enable us to be very specific and localized in our campaigns and we will also use this office to enter other South American markets."

The latest World Travel Trends Report showed that Brazilians are increasingly spending money on foreign travel, a result of the country's strong economy, a 6% year-on-year increase in incomes and a growing middle class which accounts for 52% of the Brazilian population, with the average family in this bracket earning approximately $1,412 per month. The growth in this segment is a key contributor to an estimated year-on-year growth of the Brazilian outbound market of 4.5% up to 2020 (according to 'Research and Markets'). In 2012 Brazilians spent over US$21 billion abroad, a sum that increased 175% in the last five years.

Speaking during World Travel Market Latin America of the primary objectives of the new DTCM Latin America office, Hamad bin Mejren commented: "The office will provide training to the travel trade and MICE agents, increasing their knowledge of the Dubai offer and will operate familiarisation visits to Dubai. It will also organise roadshows within the Latin American market for Dubai stakeholders. The MICE industry will be a major focus - Dubai is the primary MICE destination of the Middle East and the wider Middle East, North Africa and South Asian region - and the office will promote our credentials in this regard."

During World Travel Market Latin America, DTCM presented Dubai's MICE offering to an audience of 200 MICE buyers at an event hosted by the Latin American Association of Meeting Planners and Corporate Travel (ALAGEV) and held productive talks with the President of ALAGEV regarding future cooperation.

Hamad bin Mejren continued: "We envision that through opening this office, our MICE business from Latin and South America will substantially increase. There are numerous factors that contribute to Dubai's success in hosting large events, including the vast Emirates Airline network; our world-class facilities including Dubai World Trade Centre; safety and security; the leisure tourism offer; and the wide range of hotels; not to mention our city-wide coordinated destination management strategy that brings together government departments and the private sector, demonstrated by the presence of 15 partners from Dubai exhibiting at this event.."

DTCM is the principal authority for the development of tourism in Dubai. Established in 1997, it is the sole licensing body for the hotel establishments and tourism-related businesses. Its supervisory role covers heritage sites, cruise terminal and convention bureau. DTCM has 18 overseas offices, including North America. For more information, visit www.definitelydubai.com

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Mr Fahad Ahmad
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© Press Release 2013