AHIC's Online Forum points the direction for tourism

Dubai, November 26, 2006:  Internet technology united more than sixty of the region's tourism leaders for an online debate to discuss the future of the industry in the Middle East.

The advisory board, which includes Kurt Ritter, President and CEO of the Rezidor Hotel Group, James Wilson, CEO of Nakheel Hotels & Resorts and Sarmad Zok, CEO of Kingdom Hotel Investments, discussed the agenda for the third Arabian Hotel Investment Conference, which will be held in Dubai in April (28-30) 2007.

A selection of topics emerging from the forum will be added to next year's programme such as: regional investors going global; cyber branding; responsible and sustainable development; anomalies of Middle East management contracts; the rapid rise of new local brands and what type of real-estate structures underpin future viability and growth. The overriding theme of next year's event will be 'Global Aspirations'.

Jonathan Worsley, organiser of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), explained the unusual meeting.

He said: "The use of this online debate enabled the top people in the industry to connect busy schedules and come together wherever they were in the world. Everyone was keen to contribute something to the agenda for such a crucial event for the Middle East's tourism industry."

As well as an unparalleled networking event, the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference focuses on issues that concern every player in the regional industry, from mega-projects to financing and areas such as fractional ownership and human resources.

Kurt Ritter said: "AHIC enables discussion at the highest level and allows industry leaders from the region and beyond to come together to debate such issues and address solutions."

The Arabian Hotel Investment Conference will run from April 28-30, 2007 at Dubai's Madinat Jumeirah and is organised by The Bench and the Middle East Economic Digest (MEED). Details of AHIC can be found on www.arabianconference.com.

Platinum sponsors at the 2007 event are: Kingdom Hotel Investments; Istithmar Hotels; Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels and the Rezidor Hotel Group.

Gold sponsors are: Accor; Arabian Travel Market; Coral International Hotels-Resorts-Spas; Corp Executive Hotels; Emaar Hotels & Resorts; Emirates; Euro RSCG Furness; Fairmont Raffles Hotels International Inc; GuestInvest; Hamilton Hotel Partners; Horwath HTL Group; HVS International; InterContinental Hotels & Resorts; Interval International; Jumeirah Group; M?venpick Hotels & Resorts; Northcourse Leisure Real Estate Solutions; OBM International; Qatar National Hotels Company; Rakeen; Rotana Hotels; Shaza Hotels; Sidley Austin; Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc; The Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces and TRI Hospitality Consulting Middle East.

Media sponsors are: AME Info, CNBC Arabia, HOTELS, Hotel & Motel Management, Sleeper and TTN.

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Notes to Editors
Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of The Bench and a consultant to CB Richard Ellis Hotels, is one of the organisers and founders of the International Hotel Investment Forum held each year in Berlin. In 2005, he was responsible for launching the successful Arabian Hotel Investment Conference with MEED Conferences. Worsley sits as an advisor to the World Travel & Tourism Council, which represents many of the leading companies operating worldwide in the travel and tourism industry. The Bench provides online real time daily benchmarking data for the hotel industry in over 100 destinations worldwide. His view is there is a need for more transparency in the industry to allow for greater liquidity in the marketplace.

MEED (Middle East Economic Digest) is internationally recognised as providing essential information for anyone doing business in, or with, the Middle East and North Africa. MEED now attracts over 70,000 individual readers each week, across 70 countries worldwide. MEED Conferences is part of the leading information brand in the Middle East working to provide delegates with the very latest business sensitive information. Over the past 10 years, MEED Conferences has organised events attended by senior government officials and thousands of international business people. The conference series is aimed at companies active or seeking business in the markets of the Middle East. MEED is well established as the source of strategic and accurate regional information placing it in a unique position to bring together high-calibre speakers. www.meed.com

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© Press Release 2006