The first Business Travel Show ended with great success on October 30, 2007 at the Madinat Arena in Dubai, with participating corporate travel buyers and leading travel suppliers overwhelmed with the attendance and looking forward to next year's event.
“The Business Travel Show Dubai is definitely unique to the region,” said Ms. Claire Guppy, Corporate Sales Manager Middle East, British Airways, “We are thrilled to have had this opportunity to help the show debut in the Middle East market. As a founding partner of the Business Travel Show Dubai, we are pleased to have met our widespread corporate customers from across the Middle East region. It has also been fantastic to see the region’s big players from the airline industry, travel management companies, hotel groups, corporate Credit card suppliers and ancillary travel services - such as car rental companies - all under one roof,” she said.
The exhibition showcased the finest business travel products and services from the world's leading travel suppliers, including Alshamel, Dnata, Jumeirah, Emirates, British Airways, Etihad Airlines, Austrian Airlines, National Air Service, Virgin Atlantic, International Air Charter, Jebel Ali International, Cabot, Air France/ KLM, Hilton, Premier Travel Inn, FCM, Lufthansa, Accor, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Hertz, Chelsea Group, BCD Travel, Nuran LLC, Cathay Pacific, Tourism Malaysia and many other well known names in the industry.
Dnata, one of the first travel companies to set up in Dubai, which has now established its presence in other parts of the region, also showed support to the travel industry by sponsoring the show. “We have been partners, sponsors and exhibitors at the Business Travel Show, which has provided Dnata with an excellent opportunity to tell the regional and international travel industry who we are and what we can offer,” said Mr. Abdulla Tawakul, Vice President, Dnata.
During the two day exhibition, over 2,000 visitors from the region visited the Business Travel Show in Dubai. The organizers have committed themselves to positioning the show as the region’s only dedicated event for business travel.
“We are so pleased with the turnout, our objective is to provide practical and independent advice as well as up-to-date information from suppliers of business travel products and services to companies and organizations involved in buying and arranging business travel,” said Sally Pugmire, Event Director, Centaur Exhibitions. “We offer a truly unique promotional and lead generating opportunity for companies involved in the Middle East’s highly lucrative business travel sector,” she explained.
The event also delivered an informative educational programme, running alongside the exhibition, in association with The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), the Show’s education partner. The programme hosted 16 hour long sessions presented by renowned travel professionals aimed at providing the latest information, thinking and tips on how to book and buy business travel effectively.
The Business Travel Show Dubai will be back in October 2008. According to event organisers, many exhibitors from the show have already booked stands for next year. “Some have reserved new locations to get a better position, and others are happy and wanted to book the same stand. We are trying to accommodate them all, we now know the 2008 show will be even bigger and better,” concluded Sally.
The Business Travel Show Dubai brought to Dubai by the organizer of the successful Business Travel Shows in Europe. The show will become a yearly event in Dubai showcasing the finest business travel products and services from the world’s leading travel suppliers. Next year’s event takes place from 20th-21st October 2008.
