The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) took another step to further consolidate Dubai tourism industry’s position in Saudi Arabia by the first-ever participation in the Riyadh Travel Fair (RTF) with 14 co-participants.
Mr. Abdullah bin Suwaidan, DTCM Deputy Director of Overseas Promotions and Inward Missions, led the Dubai delegation to the 4th edition of the RTF which was held at the Four Seasons Hotel Kingdom Centre from May 15 to 18.
He presented a memento to His Royal Highness Prince Nawaf bin Salman bin Abdulaziz who toured the exhibition and visited the Dubai Stand.
Dubai’s 100-square-metre stand was shared by co-participants who included tour operators, DMCs and hotel establishments among others. The co-participants were Arabian Explorers, Al Rais Tours and Travels, Cosmopolitan Hotel, Dubai Events & Promotions Establishment (DSF, DSS and Eid in Dubai), Dubai Trade Centre Hotel Apartments, Costa Cruises, flydubai, HTT Holidays, Ibn Batuta Gate Hotel, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, Landmark Grand Hotel, Majestic Hotel Tower Dubai , Millennium Plaza Hotel and Royal Caribbean International Cruises.
He said Saudi Arabia has been a major regional source market for Dubai’s ever-expanding tourism industry. The kingdom was first on Dubai’s Top 20 markets in 2011 and Q1 2012 in terms of hotel guests.
Over 873,000 Saudi nationals stayed in Dubai hotel establishments last year while they numbered 272,631 in Q1 2012. There has been a significant increase in the Saudi visitors to Dubai since the establishment of DTCM’s two representative offices in Jeddah and Riyadh.
The RTF, he said, helped the DTCM further promote and develop Dubai tourism’s market share and also evaluate the huge market to focus on the most important travelling and holiday trends.
Last year’s RTF attracted 147 exhibitors from 30 countries and 15,000 visitors. It was held on a combined exhibition space of 4,720 square metres. According to statistics of Saudi Arabia’s Tourist Information and Research Center the Saudis’ spending on external tourism exceeded SR22 billion last year with more than four million Saudi nationals travelling during the summer vacations. Saudis occupy the first place internationally in term of tourist expenditure.