Mediterranean Travel Fair set for record-breaking show with pre-registered delegates up 20%

Reed Travel Exhibitions, organisers of the forthcoming Mediterranean Travel Fair (MTF), have confirmed that the event, taking place 14 - 16 September 2004 at the Cairo International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Egypt, is set to significantly surpass the success of last years show. With a 22% growth in the total show size from 2003 and increased numbers of travel trade professionals and Meridian club delegates pre-registered to attend the exhibition, the scene is set for the largest Mediterranean Travel Fair in the events' history.

"The number of pre-registered delegates has steadily climbed in the months building up to MTF, with impressive increases evident in Meridian Club members, the industry's senior buyers wishing to attend the exhibition," said Vicky Crane, Marketing Manager, Mediterranean Travel Fair. "The increased awareness and interest in the event re-affirms the essential business-networking platform that MTF provides within the Eastern Mediterranean region," concluded Crane.

There will be a number of new exhibitors present at MTF this year; they include Australia, China, Indonesia, Brazil, Italy, Algeria, Yemen and The Supreme Commission for Tourism, Saudi Arabia. The show also sees the return of the following National Tourist Organisations; Morocco National Tourism Board, Ministry of Information - Tourism Sector Kuwait, Syria Ministry of Tourism, Kingdom of Bahrain, Tunisian National Tourist Office, Lebanon Ministry of Tourism and the Palestine Ministry of Tourism. In addition, the Ministry of Tourism Libya will also be exhibiting on a larger stand having agreed to 70sqm of space.

MTF will also see a strong Egyptian presence encompassing many major hotels including; The Four Seasons Hotel Cairo, Accor Egypt, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Le Meridien Hotels, Jolie Ville Hotels Co Ltd and Inter-Continental Hotel Group. Both the Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Movenpick Hotels & Resorts will be participating with larger stands at this year's exhibition.

There will be a number of key seminars for MTF delegates to attend centred on the world of online travel. Expedia, the largest Tour Operator dedicated to the online market, will conduct a session on "E-commerce Is Not The Future, It Is The Present". There will also be two sessions conducted by Intoegypt.com, one of the regions largest on-line travel planning companies on "E-tourism & Its Affect On Marketing & Selling Travel" and "How To Market Travel Online". Culminating the seminars on the worldwide web will be Trallliance, whose mission is to enhance Internet commerce for the travel and tourism industry will speak on the subject of "Creating A New Top Level Domain Name For Travel '.travel'.

This comprehensive seminar programme will also include sessions run by Market Vision, the international Middle Eastern partner to IPK on "Factors Likely to Impact Growth in Travel to Middle East Destinations". A Representative from CPL Events who will be covering a topic relating to the meetings and incentive market entitled "How To Sell To American And European Associations". And Creative Travel who will be holding a seminar on "Increasing Tourism Flow To Egypt In Spite Of The Disturbed Political Situation In The Region".

Social events will include the MTF Gala Dinner on the opening night of the show, which will be hosted by Ahmed Al Maghraby, the Egyptian Minister of Tourism. This year it is to be held at the Mena House Hotel at Giza, a magical setting overlooked by the pyramids. The Wednesday night will see the Lebanese Evening Function Hosted by Mr. Faisal Fatfat, Tourist Attaché in Egypt, at the Nile Hilton Hotel.

Supporting the event are the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism, the Egyptian Tourist Authority, the Egyptian Tourism Federation, the Egyptian Travel Agents Association who are also the events official ground handler, the Egyptian Hotel Association and Egypt Air the official carrier. The Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Nazif and the Egyptian Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al Maghraby, will open the fifth Mediterranean Travel Fair on Tuesday 14th September.