Dubai and Sharjah Aim Big at MITT 2009

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority are participating in the 15th edition of Moscow International Travel & Tourism Exhibition, or MITT 2009, taking place in the Russian capital from March 18 to 21, 2009.

The exhibition will have a double-decker Dubai stand being shared by 52 co-participants from the emirate's tourism industry.

According to a Press statement from the DTCM, the Dubai stand will showcase the best of Dubai's tourism product offerings and will network with the local travel and tourism industry players. The stand will occupy an area of 450 square metres, almost 55 per cent bigger than the previous year's space.

The co-participants were briefed on the MITT arrangements and various initiatives of the DTCM at a meeting chaired by Abdullah bin Suwaidan, Deputy Director of Overseas Promotions, and addressed by Talal Al Suwaidi, DTCM Head of India, Middle East and North Africa at Overseas Promotions.

Eyad Ali Abdul Rahman, DTCM Executive Director - Media Relations and Acting Director Business Development, will lead the Dubai delegation and address the opening ceremony of the MITT, of which Dubai is the partner destination this year.

DTCM officials said Russia remains a key market in DTCM's promotional and marketing agenda with the DTCM's representative office in Moscow for the Russian, CIS and Baltic markets playing a crucial role in reaching out to industry professionals, potential business and leisure tourists and media representatives.

Dubai hotel establishments played host to 354,189 guests from Russia, CIS and Baltic during January to September 2008. In 2007, the emirate received 473,037 guests from this region.

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is making bid for bigger slice of Russian tourist market through promoting the unique attractions of the emirate as an ideal destination for family tourism.

Sharjah has attracted record numbers of Russian tourists during the last four years.

Director-General of the SCTDA Mohamed A. Al Noman, will head the Sharjah delegation that included a number of senior representatives from the SCTDA, Sharjah International Airport Authority, Radisson SAS Resort and Arabia.

The SCTDA's 10th participation in one of the world's most significant tourism gatherings came following an indepth study of the annual international tourism fairs and their potential for the sustainable growth of Sharjah's tourism sector.

"Sharjah is considered as one of the most favourable destinations for Russian tourists due to its unique attractions for family tourism. Last year more than 261,000 Russian tourists visited the emirate compared to 240,000 tourists arrived during 2007," Al Noman said.