International Trade Visitors to Arabian Travel Market 2003 up incredible 18%

Arabian Travel Market 2003, which runs at the Airport Expo Dubai until Friday night, notched up its best first-day attendance in the show's 10- year history - with visitors on the opening day being 35% up on last year.

A total of 2,780 trade professionals from 61 countries attended the opening day of the show, the Middle East's premier travel and tourism exhibition. Some 409 media were also in attendance in the first day.

"This turnout is exceptional, particularly considering what the industry has been through in the past few months," said Matt Thompson, Exhibition Director, Overseas Events, Reed Travel Exhibitions, (RTE), which organises the show.

"We have been particularly encouraged by the fact that the number of  international trade visitors on the first day was 18% more than last year and that 250 industry professionals from Saudi Arabia attended on the opening day which is great when viewed against the fact that trade attendance from Saudi Arabia for the whole of the show last year numbered 325."

Thompson said Arabian Travel Market 2003 was setting new records in exhibitor and visitor trends and was a barometer to the industry bouncing back from the recent doldrums.

"This is one of the most resilient industries - and this show has sent a signal internationally that recent times may have been challenging but the industry is still fit and ready for an upturn," he said.

Some 783 exhibitors from 55 countries are taking part in Arabian Travel Market 2003 - the first major league travel and tourism event to take place after the Iraq war. The show is almost 10% larger in terms of contracted exhibition space than last year.

The show will be open to the public on Thursday from 5pm until 8pm with  adults paying a Dhs5 entry fee and children under 16 entering free-of- charge. Visitors producing a Visa card will be given free entry. Revenue  raised from the public sessions - the show will also be open to the public from 4pm until 9pm on Friday - is to go to charity.