FIVE MILLION READERS ACROSS RUSSIA TO READ ABOUT DUBAI'S ATTRACTIONS AS A TOURIST DESTINATION

More than five million readers across Russia and the CIS will read about Dubai's attractions as a tourist destination, following the familiarization visit of representatives from influential Russian news media who are currently (November 9th to 14th) in the emirate, at the invitation of the Government of Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).

"Media familiarization trips help us in maintaining and enhancing our position as a premier tourist destination in key markets, and through such visits, we seek to increase international exposure of Dubai," said DTCM Director General, Khalid A. bin Sulayem.

He noted that in destination marketing, it is important to present relevant messages but more importantly choosing the right medium for the message.

"The department opts for an integrated marketing campaign to promote Dubai which avails of traditional and non-traditional media across all channels including direct mail, personal marketing visits, promotions such as breakfast seminars and workshops, trade and consumer advertising, roadshows and exhibitions, tele-marketing, news bulletins, newsletters, e-mail as well as hosting of familiarization visits," informed Mr. bin Sulayem.

"An integrated marketing program breaks through the clutter of information overload that exists in the travel industry and works more effectively in reaching out to a diverse target audience," he added.

The journalists in the familiarization trip represent the dailies Rossiyskaya Gazeta (circulation 411,000), Komsomolskaya Pravda (circulation 2,500,000), Trud Newspaper (circulation 1,250,000), Kommersant Daily (circulation 117,340), and weeklies Novaya Gazeta (Circulation 200,000) Expert Weekly (70,000) as well as the Russian Information Agency - Novosti which has 70 offices across Russia, the CIS and around the world.

A comprehensive itinerary has been planned for the journalists, which includes a meeting and presentation at the DTCM Head Office, site tours of leading hotels, Dubai Marina, Emirates Hills, Palm Island, Dubai Cruise Terminal, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and Dubai Idea Oasis among others. A tour of Dubai's various attractions including Heritage and Diving Village, Hatta, Al Maha eco-tourism resort, a dhow cruise and a desert safari are also included in the itinerary.