The world's first international luxury travel trade exhibition has had a dedicated Middle East launch - the first regional launch outside Europe - as organisers say that the area is well positioned to attract a slice of the global upmarket tourism services and products sector, representing one fifth of total worldwide travel expenditure.
To be staged in Cannes' prestigious Palais des Festivals et des Congress, France, from 10 - 12 December 2002, International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) 2002, is organised by LTM Media Ltd in association with Reed Travel Exhibitions, the organisers of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) and other international travel and tourism shows.
"Luxury travel is an industry in its own right representing the elite 3 per cent of travellers worldwide who account for 20 per cent of total annual travel expenditure," said David Hammond, Exhibition Director, LTM Media Ltd.
Speaking at the show's Middle East launch during ATM in Dubai, Hammond said that five star dining, shopping and activity holidays are the most popular travel trends among international young affluent
travellers.
"The Middle East and the GCC states in particular boast a wealth of high end luxury hotels, shopping malls and desert safaris and other action-packed packages, making it a key target for us.
"Coupled with its hospitality traditions and excellent value for money the region's upmarket travel suppliers are set to attract a lot of interest from specialist luxury travel trade buyers who will attend ILTM 2002."
The niche event has an invitation-only policy supervised by a steering committee, which first approves the operators' luxury travel criteria and then invites them to attend.
"Specialist trade buyers and sellers serving the luxury sector have very specific needs and expectations compared to their counterparts working in the mainstream travel trade," said Serge Dive, Marketing Director, LTM Media.
"This show is a trade medium serving exclusively the luxury travel players and their customers, who are immune to economic downturns.
"ILTM is a hosted buyer event. Rather than expecting our exhibitors to test a first-year event, we are paying the full cost of hosting 400 of the world's top trade buyers of luxury travel, who will enjoy complimentary benefits including their flights to Nice, helicopter or limousine transfers to Cannes and hotel accommodation in one of Cannes' famous palaces."
National and regional tourist organisations, five star hotels and resorts, quality golf clubs and major international airlines offering premium first and business class products will showcase their luxury offerings at ILTM 2002.
Confirmed exhibitors so far include Concorde Hotels, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, The Charming Hotels Group, The Oberoi Group, Orient Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises and the Leading Hotels of the World.
Key national tourism stands showcasing their luxury offering include Barbados, Mauritius, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, India, South Africa, Botswana and Zambia.
Visitors will include specialist luxury outbound tour operators and travel agents, corporate bookers and VIP private travel arrangers.
"The UAE luxury travel sector in particular has a lot to gain from this groundbreaking industry initiative as it has a first class opportunity to position itself among the world's top luxury destinations," said Dive.
"Its five star plus facilities, excellent weather conditions for at least six months a year and status as one of the world's fastest growing tourism destinations, will find a receptive, decision-making audience at ILTM 2002."
Through the strategic and marketing partnership between the show's organisers LTM Media Ltd and Reed Travel Exhibitions, ILTM 2002 will benefit from shared exhibitor and visitor data bases, cross promotional opportunities as well as technical assistance, in what both parties describe as a win-win situation. |
