Caribbean and Indian Ocean Tourism case studies to be presented at AHIC

How to brand an island to appeal to the global tourist, and the secrets of attracting international capital are among the topics covered by a special session on Emerging Island Destinations at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), being held in Dubai between 29 April and 1 May 2006.

Three tourism ministers – the Hon Samia Hassan from Zanzibar, the Hon Noel Lynch from Barbados and Dr Mahmood Shaugee from the Maldives - will take to the stage to debate issues of island marketing. Robert Riley, the new CEO of Armani Hotels & Resorts, will moderate the panel discussion, and they will be joined by Hamza Mustafa, general manager of Nakheel’s Dubai island development, The World.

The Maldives will be highlighted as a case study, differentiating between the mass market and high-end approach to development. The Hon Michael Misick, chief minister from the Turks and Caicos Islands, will speak on the challenges of establishing a name and a brand within the umbrella branding of the Caribbean.

According to organiser Jonathan Worsley, the interesting issue to be raised on this session will be why investors should invest in The Maldives, Barbados, Turks & Caicos or The World. There will be lessons for regional destinations to be learnt, particularly in distinguishing brands that are essentially offering a similar product.

He said, “To many travellers from overseas, the Middle East is the big brand, the Gulf might be a product but individual destinations such as Bahrain, Qatar, Ras Al Khaimah, Muscat or Salalah need to be clearly defined to woo and capture the right audience.”

The Arabian Hotel Investment Conference will run from 29 April - 1 May 2006 at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah conference centre.

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