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Travel tech giants stage a conference comeback at ATM in Dubai

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In partnership with Amadeus, Travel Forward Theatre welcomes Google, Skyscanner, Travelport, Hilton Hotel, Expedia Group and more to ATM in Dubai.

Travel Forward, the leading global event for travel technology, has revealed an impressive line-up of big name brands to present live on stage as a part of sister event Arabian Travel Market (ATM).

This year’s ATM is a hybrid event. Travel Forward is part of the in-person event taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 16-19 May 2021, co-located with ATM Dubai.

ATM Virtual will take place from 24-26 May and all sessions from the in-person event will be available to view during the virtual event.

In collaboration with the travel tech powerhouse Amadeus, Travel Forward Theatre will welcome Amadeus’s senior vice president of retail for Middle East and Africa, Jamel Chandoul, who will discuss how collaboration can help to rebuild the travel industry using technology to offer travelers a smoother and safer travel experience.

The session looks at travellers’ top concerns including health apps. It takes place on Monday 17 May from 13:30 – 14:30.

The four-day event kicks-off on Sunday 16 May with a two-part session featuring Gavin Harris from travel marketplace Skyscanner and Kathryn Wallington from next-generation global distribution platform Travelport.

 “The Application of Technology to Adapt to the New Reality” begins at 12:30 on Sunday 16 May.

Later that day David Debeule, director of Expedia Group’s accommodation team in Middle East and Africa, will talk not only about the insights that can be gleaned from listening to the global travel ecosystem but also how these insights can be converted into real-world action plans. This session is on from 16:15 – 17:00.

Elsewhere, an hour-long expert panel will outline “The Path Forward for Destination Marketing Organisations”.  It will be led by Hans Clement from the Dubai office of Boston Consulting Group and Iva Kutle Skrlec, a destination marketing expert from Google. They will share the findings from an extensive collaborative research project, giving attendees practical advice and takeaways on how to position their destination for the return of travelers. The panel begins at 16:30 on Monday 17 May.

Hotels are also represented across the three-day event. Jochem-Jan Sleiffer, president for the Middle East, Africa & Turkey operations of Hilton, is part of a hospitality panel talking about how data and technology can support personalised trips and memorable experiences. His session starts at 10:30 on Wednesday 19 May.

Simon Press – Exhibition Director at Travel Forward said:

“The return of live events for the global travel industry is welcomed by all of us.

“The line-up we’ve assembled for Travel Forward at ATM Dubai proves that senior execs from across the travel tech ecosystem are willing to travel and share their insights and expertise on how best to approach the first wave of post-pandemic travellers.”

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said:

“Travel technology is integral to our hybrid format this year. The use of technology is accelerating across all industry sectors, none more so than the travel sector. With expert insight, it will be fascinating to find out just what the ‘new normal’ will look like, the role technology will play and how industry players and consumers will adapt.”  

ATM 2021 will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, spread across nine halls. Consistent with the existing density restrictions and social distancing guidelines and regulations, there will be 11,000 people in the halls at any given time.  The theme of this year’s show is ‘A new dawn for travel and tourism’ and the spotlight will be focused on the very latest ‘COVID’ news from around the world – vaccine rollouts, the current state of the industry and more importantly, what the future holds.

The event will once again play an integral role in Arabian Travel Week, a 10-day long festival of travel and tourism events taking place in Dubai and online.

Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world to visit with a wide range of precautionary measures in place to ensure the safety of tourists at every stage and touchpoint of their travel journey, from arrival to departure. It was also awarded a ‘Safe Travels’ stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). Over 11.1 million doses have already been administered in the UAE, which is also a major achievement.

ATM 2021’s strategic partners include Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) as Destination Partner, Emaar Hospitality Group as Official Hotel Partner, Emirates as Official Airline Partner and The Vision as Official Destination Management Partner.

If you are planning to attend ATM in-person, please feel free to post using the hashtags #ImGoingtoATM and #IdeasArriveHere

To register for ATM 2021, go to https://www.wtm.com/atm/en-gb/enquire.html               

For more news about ATM, please scan the below QR code:

or visit: https://hub.wtm.com/category/press/atm-press-releases/

About Arabian Travel Market (ATM)

Arabian Travel Market (ATM), now on its 28th year, continues to be the focal point for the Middle East’s resilient and ever-changing travel and tourism landscape and prides itself on being the hub of all travel and tourism ideas, providing a platform to discuss insights on the ever-changing industry, share innovations and unlock endless business opportunities. Arabian Travel Market is part of Arabian Travel Week. www.wtm.com/atm/en-gb.html #IdeasArriveHere

Next in-person event: Sunday 16 to Wednesday 19 May 2021, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai

Next virtual event: Monday 24 to Wednesday 26 May 2021

eTurboNews is a media partner for ATM.

Media contact:

NATHALIE VISELE

Director

Shamal Communications

Indigo Icon Tower, Jumeirah Lakes Towers

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Tel: +971 4 365 2711 | Mobile: +971 50 457 6525

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.shamalcomms.com

Seychelles features on Palazzo Versace Dubai’s E-Gift Platform

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In partnership with Palazzo Versace Dubai, the Seychelles Tourism Board places the destination under the luxury spotlight through the lavish hotel’s E-Gift Platform.

Palazzo Versace Dubai’s E-gift platform offers exclusively curated experiences from luxury stays and serene spa treatments to intimate dining, unique gifts that create lifelong memories.

With increased demand for digital gifts rising as the world adjusts to the ‘new normal’, STB stays in line with its mandate of ensuring visibility for the islands, giving potential visitors access to the unique island experiences the tropical paradise has to offer.

Amongst these luxe offers, gift-givers can purchase experiences worth a minimum of AED 4,000 to stand the chance to win a one-of-a-kind, three-night stay at a luxury resort in Seychelles.

Tucked away from the rest of the world, the Seychelles Islands presents winners with the opportunity to escape an exotic land of crystal-clear waters and lush mountains filled with adventures for every traveller. Inclusive of business class tickets and island activities, the package encompasses the sensational barefoot luxury of the archipelago.

Along with a chance to win ultimate getaways, this partnership has set out to elevate the experience of gift-givers with deal-breaking summer offers, available only for a limited time, and enticing eager voyagers with the opportunity to truly invest in future travel plans.

More news about Seychelles

#rebuildingtravel

MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, [email protected] 

Top-selling agents of Emirates Holidays visit Seychelles on a FAM trip

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The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) through its office in Dubai, in partnership with Emirates Holidays and with the support of local partners in Seychelles organized a familiarization (FAM) trip to the paradise destination for top travel agents across Dubai.

The visit was organised in line with the STB strategy to increase Seychelles’ visibility through the education of its close partners.

As part of their visit in the destination, the small group of agents were given the opportunity to experience and be inspired by the beauty of the islands, partaking in activities such as touring of the capital, Victoria and its cultural landmarks, ziplinging and cruising the islands.

During their visit, the Dubai agents received a warm Seychellois welcome from the various hotel partners including Constance Ephelia, Four Seasons Resort, Constance Lemuria, Hilton Northolme Resort, Raffles Seychelles, Kempinski Resort Seychelles, Banyan Tree Resort, and Avani Seychelles Barbarons Resort & Spa and were able to familiarize themselves with the products and services offered by these establishments.

The Account manager for STB office in Dubai, Mr. Ahmed Fathallah commented on the FAM trip, stating “The entire experience enhanced their knowledge to better promote and sell the destination and they can impart their personal experience to their clients, which can help them entice travelers to visit the beautiful Seychelles. We will definitely be working on having more FAM Trips in the future as incentive to the hardest working agents. These FAM Trips serves not only as a motivation but as well as an educational experience to provide edge and added knowledge about the destination.”

Prior to the FAM trip, Emirates Holidays ran a campaign among their agents – the top sellers of Seychelles will get the chance to win a place on a FAM trip to the destination.

Compared to the previous year, market performance in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has seen positive increases; the UAE to 22%, Kuwait to 14%, and Saudi Arabia to 18%, making the region increasingly significant to the Seychelles.

MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, [email protected]  www.seychelles.travel

Seychelles strengthens GCC reach through a four-city roadshow

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The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB), through its office in Dubai, in partnership with Emirates Airlines and Qatar Airways, has embarked its fourth edition of the Four-City Roadshow staged in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kuwait and Doha Qatar in October this year.

The roadshow comprised of a strong delegation including the representative of the STB Office in Dubai, Mr. Ahmed Fathallah; STB Marketing Executive from Headquarters, Ms. Winnie Elisa and   the Embassy of the Republic of Seychelles Tourism Attaché, Aliette Esther.

His Excellency Ambassador Jean Claude Adrienne, Seychelles Ambassador based in Abu Dhabi attended the roadshow in the same city.

Several partners from the Seychelles tourism industry supported the 4- day event in the various cities, which provided an increased visibility to the archipelago while promoting their brands and services.

These included AVANI Seychelles Barbarons Resort & Spa, Constance Hotels, Hilton Hotels, MAIA Luxury Resort and Spa, Le Duc de Praslin, Castello Beach Hotel, Valmer Resort, Raffles Seychelles, The H Resort on the accommodation side.

Luxury Travel, Masons Travel, and Vision Voyages and Coco Charter represented the destination management companies and operator’s side.

In each city, the GCC roadshow gathered a roster from Emirates Airlines and Qatar Airways team both official partners for the roadshow.

The four-city roadshow, which aimed at enticing the participants to learn more about the destination, recorded the presence of over 200 top trade partners. 

The event, targeted top trade partners in each city where all participants were given the chance to network with the exhibitors and understand the dynamics of the destination including Seychelles being a unique product as a multifaceted holiday destination, the diverse services and experiences the Seychelles offers and packages.

Speaking about the event, Account Manager for STB office in Dubai, Mr. Ahmed Fathallah, conveyed his appreciation in regards to the turnout, which indirectly translates, to their incessant interest to know more about the destination.

Mr. Fathallah further mentioned that the outstanding number of participants signifies the demand partners in the GCC cities receive from potential holidaymakers to Seychelles.

“We always ensure that the roadshow is included in our activity pipeline since we see it as an effective avenue to equip the travel agents and tour operators in the region with further information to better sell and become ambassadors to the destination,” said Mr. Fathallah.

As part of the promotional activities, attendees of the GCC event had an opportunity to win several prizes including trips to the tropical islands, at the end of the workshop in each city.

MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, [email protected]  www.seychelles.travel

Seychelles to shine at the Dubai Expo 2020

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Set to take place from October 2020 until April 2021, the Dubai Expo 2020 will go down in history as the first expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region.

For six months, Seychelles, our small Island nation will be represented through the participation of various national entities and NGOs to showcase the destination’s natural lush environment, opportunities for investment and its achievements towards Sustainability and Nature conservation.

Seychelles will therefore share a spot alongside the 192 participating countries from all over the globe. The Dubai 2020 Expo site, which will cover a total of 438 hectares, is located in the Dubai South district, near the Al Maktoum International Airport.

The country’s preparations to the international event is spearheaded by the collective effort of CINEA and the Seychelles Tourism Board.

Representatives of the two organizations are working alongside the Dubai Expo 2020 team and the Seychelles Country Manager, John Addo Obiri, to ensure that Seychelles’ participation carry every single visitor onto an imaginary journey that will touch their hearts.

Through the discoveries of the Seychelles pavilion, each visitor will get a feel of the Islands, as one will discover its various features through visual, audio and graphics presentations.

Seychelles will also be granted the tribute of celebrating its national day through an honor day, event during which, various high officials from the country will be invited to attend.

Aside from the official events, Seychelles will also be engaging the Expo Dubai 2020 visitors through conferences and workshops centered around culture, finance, environment and tourism.

Speaking about Seychelles preparations to the Expo, Mr. Galen Bresson CEO of CINEA, stated that the Dubai 2020 moto: “connecting minds and creating the future,” incorporates the mind-set of the organizing committee working effortlessly towards the success of this event for the country.

“Seychelles might be small in size, but we are placing ourselves on the global market next to many countries through our participation. The concept for this Expo reflect a lot of our country’s conservation philosophy. Our aim is to show the world that, in spite of our 250 years of existence, we have been able to maintain a good balance in co-existing with our natural environment,” said Mr. Bresson. 

On her part, Mrs. Sherin Francis, STB Chief Executive, mentioned that the STB team is working in close collaboration with CINEA and the other government agencies and NGOs to make Seychelles’ participation a success.

“Seychelles’ participation in the Dubai 2020 Expo is an excellent platform for visibility for the country, not only as a tourism destination, but also as a nation. More than ever, we need to place ourselves on the map in showcasing our natural beauty, our culture and our various achievements in all aspects,” said STB’s Chief Executive.

The first world expo took place in 1851 in London and has since been a platform for countries to showcase their achievements and culture to the rest of the world. The Dubai 2020 Expo is expecting over 25,000,000 visits over the 173 days.

MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, [email protected]  www.seychelles.travel