RUSSIAN TRAVEL TRADE SHOW KEEN INTEREST IN DUBAI DTCM MOUNTS TOURISM ROADSHOWS IN MOSCOW & ST. PETERSBURG

The Government of Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) reported a keen interest from the Russian travel trade following a successful participation at the recently concluded Seventh International Trade Fair for Tourism in Moscow - Leisure 2001. This successful drive in Russia is being backed up by a two-city tourism roadshow covering Moscow and St. Petersburg (29th-30th October).

"Our participation at Leisure generated nearly 500 trade contacts with nearly 66 tour operators displaying a keen interest in doing business with Dubai," said DTCM Director General, Khalid A. bin Sulayem.

He noted that the trade visitors to the Dubai stand came primarily from Moscow (258) and other Russian cities (194) including some from CIS and other countries (29).

"The Russian tourism industry has fully recovered from the economic crisis in 1998 and has even grown in strength with the Russian outbound market growing in the year 2000 by 45% compared to 1999," pointed out Mr. bin Sulayem.

Russia is an important source market for all tourism destinations. According to a report issued by the World Tourism Organization, more than 12 million people from the CIS travel abroad every year.

The DTCM works diligently to attract more Russian business and leisure visitors, through year-round marketing initiatives in Russia, and the participation at Leisure 2001 is being followed up by a two-city roadshow in Moscow and St. Petersburg. DTCM Executive Overseas Promotion, Khalifa Buamaim represented the department at Leisure along with a delegation of 19 travel trade firms.