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The new chief executive of Reed Exhibitions (RX), the world's biggest
trade show industry player, is due in
Dubai later
this year to attend Arabian Travel Market 2005 (ATM), the Middle East's
premier event for the travel and tourism industry.
 While at
the show, which runs at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 3-6, Alastair
Gornall will meet exhibitors to gain feedback on the fastest growing event
in the portfolio of Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), an RX subsidiary.
Gornall, who took the RX hot seat and joined the group's worldwide board
in September, says he intends to adopt a hands on business approach, and
visiting Dubai, the exhibition industry's Middle East capital and the
award-winning ATM, is high on his development agenda.
'ATM recently beat over 400 international trade show titles to take the
'Reed Exhibition of the Year' award for the second time running and has been
an incredible success for both the group and the travel industry,' said
Gornall. 'The exhibition industry is highly customer focused and is about
providing value for money, and that is something ATM certainly achieves.
'The Middle East, and Dubai in particular, is a massive and growing
market for the exhibitions industry and I need to be there to listen to
customers on the ground and ensure we continue to provide them with the high
quality event they expect from us.
'I also hope to meet key decision-makers at governmental and private
sector level to explore further opportunities for the group as a whole.'
ATM 2005 has already sold more than 99 per cent of its 14,200 square
metres of floor space, a 3,000 square metres increase on last year.
Chris Chackal, Group Exhibitions Director Reed Travel Exhibitions, said:
'Alastair's first ATM is going to set new records in trade buyer and
exhibitor numbers from more countries than ever before.
'Exhibitors have signed up earlier, reflecting the success of last year's
event, the strength of the regional tourism market and demand from Middle
East outward bound business. The show is set to be a sell out in spite of
the 20 per cent increase in floor space.'
Exhibitors from 50 countries, including 43 national tourist bodies have
confirmed participation.
Arabian Travel Market 2005 is held under the patronage of His Highness
General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE
Defence Minister and under the auspices of the Department of Tourism and
Commerce Marketing, Government of Dubai.
This year RTE says it will donate entry fees from the ATM's two public
sessions to the 'Just A Drop' charity to provide fresh water to communities
ravaged by the December tsunami. |
