For
the second year running, Arabian Travel Market 2013 will host a
special UNWTO forum, with this year’s session taking place on
Tuesday 7th May 2013, under the theme ‘Aviation and Tourism
Policies: Balancing the Benefits’.
Following
on from a highly successful and dynamic discussion at this year’s
World Travel Market UNWTO forum, which focused on the topics of visa
facilitation and air transport policies as key drivers for tourism
co-operation and sector growth, the second annual UNWTO gathering at
Arabian Travel Market 2013 will bring regional airlines, tourism
leaders and the UNWTO together to discuss the role of the industry in
driving Middle East tourism growth and the regional influence on its
tourism strategies and policy.
“The
theme for this year’s forum is particularly relevant, and timely,
as IATA reports indicate that the Middle East will handle 400 million
air travellers by 2020 as a number of new state-of-the-art airports
come on line, major carriers expand their route networks, and
aircraft orders from the Gulf region add new capacity,” remarked
Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, organiser of
Arabian Travel Market.
“Route
network expansion for the Middle East’s major carriers is driving
domestic and international tourism demand. Regional aviation sector
growth forecasts remain positive through to 2020, buoyed by up to
US$90 billion worth ofinvestment into
infrastructure expansion in key gateway destinations,” he added.
A
full schedule of events and networking sessions will mark the 20th
anniversary of the Arabian Travel Market exhibition with air
travel one of the eight major vertical sectors
during the weeklong event, alongside budget travel, careers, health
and wellbeing, luxury, shopping, sports,
and cruise and water-based travel.
Held
under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of
Dubai, the 2012 edition of the Middle East’s leading travel
exhibition showcased 2,436 exhibitors covering over 20,000 square
metres and attracted more than 23,000 attendees.
Arabian
Travel Market 2013 will be held at the Dubai International Convention
& Exhibition Centre from 6-9 May 2013.
