Arabian Travel Market 2017 concluded on a high note on Thursday with Sri Lanka also fielding a strong delegation led by Minister of Tourism, John Amaratunge.
Held for the 24th year, the 2017 edition, at Dubai World Trade Centre from April 24-27, welcomed over 2,600 exhibitors and an 30,000 visitors to the largest travel trade event in the Middle East.
For the second successive year, organisers have added an extra hall, to accommodate extra demand, with over 150 countries represented, 65 national pavilions, and more than 100 new exhibitors set to make their ATM debut.
Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, ATM, said, “It is clear that the Expo 2020 project is driving growth throughout Dubai, as it aims to complete 160,000 hotel rooms in time to welcome an additional five million visitors over the course of the six-month event. However, the UAE and the GCC countries as a whole are looking towards tourism as a way of diversifying their economies away from their reliance on hydrocarbon receipts.”
“2017 began on a strong note for inbound tourism to Dubai with over three million overnight visitors recorded in January and February, representing a 12 per cent year-on-year growth in visitor numbers.”
Rwanda participated for the first time in Arabian Travel Market to expose the country’s rich tourist destinations to the world. “Rwanda offers array of experience to the world from mountain gorillas, oldest rain forest, birding and historical sites of the country,” said Linda Mutesi, Tourism Marketing Division Manager at Rwanda Development Board.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai and several political leaders attended the opening ceremony.
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