Category Archives: Exhibitions

ILTM events has announced a global virtual solution to bring the industry together before the end of the year. ILTM Cannes has been postponed to 2021. Entitled ILTM World Tour – access all areas, this virtual event is set to unite the entire global community of buyers and suppliers of luxury travel. A new one-off digital opportunity with a creative difference, ILTM World Tour – access all areas will compensate for the postponed ILTM events in 2020 and provide an environment for international luxury travel brands and regional buyer communities to virtually meet to connect and build their businesses. “Whilst we know that virtual events will NEVER replace our love to meet and share stories in person, we know right now that what counts the most is getting business lined up for 2021. We cannot predict the timing of when growth will come back, but we can be ready for whenever it happens.” said Alison Gilmore, ILTM Portfolio Director. Describing how ILTM World Tour was created, Alison Gilmore said, “We have created this one-off event to design a truly global business opportunity for all our ILTM suppliers and buyers and planned it so that we respect all time zones. With a 3-week time frame, everyone can create their own strategy and arrange meetings that will work for them.” “We know that the unprecedented events of 2020 have meant the luxury travel industry has had to adapt their business strategies. With target markets shifting as some borders remain closed, we want the objective of the ILTM World Tour to offer a global proposition to open up opportunities for all participants and be a time to bring people together, uniting through shared …

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is organising the maiden virtual roadshow on August 31, 2020. Beverly Au Yong, Area Director, Singapore Tourism Board, Middle East shares with TTME the importance of connecting the regional stakeholders with Singapore service providers for business and networking purposes. She reiterated that the main objectives of the virtual trade show is to connect local and Singapore based travel stakeholders for business and networking opportunities, Maintain market presence and continue to strengthen their relationship with travel trade partners. The roadshow will focus on outbound travel agents/tour operators from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain while the second one will be focused on MICE intermediaries. Au Yong stated, “The roadshow is part of STB’s regional B2B engagement effort, under the theme #UnitedWeStand with focus on the GCC countries. It aims to provide one-to-one networking and foster business opportunities for the local travel trade stakeholders with Singapore service providers. This platform will also allow the Singapore service providers to share the key initiatives taken by their organisations, under the government’s directive, once the borders are open for international visitors.” She further stated that “the registration will be open for travel trade stakeholders managing outbound travel services from the GCC countries on a first come first service basis. Interested outbound agents will be able to register their interest to meet selected set of Singapore service providers on the registration link published and promoted on TravTalk Middle East B2B platforms. Each agency is allowed a maximum of 2 attendees. The local agents who are able to secure highest number of virtual meetings will also get a chance to win exciting gifts.” It is an opportunity for travel trade professionals …

Singapore Food Festival (SFF) will take on a virtual format this year. Themed “Rediscover the Foodie in You”, SFF 2020 will see more than 25 F&B partners coming onboard to serve up gastronomic experiences for festival goers to enjoy at home. Taking place across two weekends in August (21–23 August and 28–30 August), Singapore’s dining scene will come to life in the form of virtual food tours, live masterclasses and chef collaborations. SFF also encourages the rediscovery of our local cuisine – from the rich depth of foodie traditions to innovative new takes on Singapore cuisine that continue to shape the past, present and future of our food culture. During this challenging period for the F&B industry, SFF 2020 also aims to be a platform for chefs and local F&B businesses to collaborate and showcase their culinary passions and products. Ranita Sundra, Director of Retail and Dining, Singapore Tourism Board (STB), said, “While we are unable to host SFF in its usual form, we are excited about the possibilities that the festival’s very first virtual edition will bring. This year’s programming aims to bundle the joy of feasting with interactive and engaging experiences. We encourage everyone to support our chefs, bartenders and food personalities, while rediscovering the foodie in them through the exciting gastronomic activities we have planned.” Through these virtual tours, audiences will learn more about the history and heritage of the precincts and the food secrets they keep. With SFF going virtual this year, popular mobile app Snapchat will also join in the fun with their launch of an exclusive foodie-themed filter lens that participants can use to record and share their favourite SFF moments. This will be …

Riyadh Travel Fair 2020 has been postponed for the second time in 2020 due to the COVID–19. The Travel Fair is planning to return in 2021, with dates fixed for March 15-18, 2021. The decision was made in the interest of public health and safety by officials at ASAS Exhibitions and Conference Organizing Company, the company responsible for organizing the annual travel fair. Bandar Al-Quraini, General Manager of ASAS Exhibitions and Conference Organizing Company said, “While our travel partners and visiting public were looking extremely forward to another exciting edition of the Riyadh Travel Fair, our concern for public health and safety during this pandemic necessitated its 2nd time postponement.” He added, “We are now planning for the 2021 edition, and look forward to welcoming back all our travel industry partners and public then, once the health and safety of visitors can be fully assured and as always in accordance with Saudi government regulations and advisories.” Riyadh Travel Fair is the largest tourism and travel exhibition in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, attracting visitors and exhibitors from countries in the Middle East and North Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe. The 2020 edition was to see 275 exhibitors representing more than 50 countries participating, with visitors expected to surpass 30,000 during the three-day event.

Reed Travel Exhibitions, the exhibition organisers behind IGTM (International Golf Travel Market) has confirmed that IGTM 2020 (due to take place October 19-22, 2020) at Celtic Manor Wales will now postponed, to 2021. In a statement released by David Todd, Event Manager, IGTM said, “With the current restrictions affecting so many of our key stakeholders whose welfare is our number one priority, we simply cannot recreate the same on-site face to face experiences and meeting quality that we would expect at an IGTM event. After much consideration, we have made the difficult decision to postpone IGTM Wales to 2021.” “We recognise that business has to continue and know how important IGTM is as a meeting place for annual business strategies, so we do not want that opportunity to go to waste. Therefore, as a thank you to the industry’s loyalty over the last 23 years, and for this year only, we’re going virtual and global with IGTM LINKS – and it’s completely free of charge for all delegates. Following research with all of our stakeholders, we’ve had some excellent feedback expressing the need to ‘keep the communication flowing’ and ‘developing digital platforms for destination gathering without having to embark ourselves on fact finding missions’. Our aim is to keep everyone connected at this difficult time for the travel industry and the golf travel community, to be that business support system and help keep our world moving towards 2021,” Todd added. Todd concluded, “IGTM LINKS is not a replacement for IGTM, rather it is a one-off event we have created to keep the industry connected with the obvious opportunity to do business, keep their conversations going, catch up and arrange appointments …

Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre, a spectacular venue developed by Al Hamra Real Estate Development, has been recognised as the first safe MICE (meeting, incentive, convention & event) facility in the region by Bureau Veritas, a world leader in testing, inspection and certification services. This certification further underlines the group’s commitment to deliver a safe environment for event organisers and visitors whilst achieving operational excellence in the ‘new normal’. Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre is designed to meet the needs of every event organiser – from gala dinners, product launches, exhibitions, destination weddings, private events and more. Adapting to the new normal, the preventive measures introduced at the venue include, among others, health assessment and screenings of staff and visitors, enhanced health and hygiene practices across the venue including catering, availability of hand sanitisers, enforcing social distancing measures, re-evaluation of timelines to avoid queuing and bottlenecks, the reduction in the venue participant capacity as appropriate and use of hybrid setting to enable participants to engage virtually. Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre was assessed on factors including commitment to the programme; respect for social distancing guidelines; compliance with hygienic practices and measures, as well as surveillance and management of any issues. Meeting these requirements, the world-class facility has been awarded the label by the Bureau for a period of six months.

Expo 2020 Dubai will now run from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, a delay that allows all participants to safely navigate the impact of COVID-19. It also allows the World Expo to focus on a collective desire for new thinking to identify solutions to some of the greatest challenges of our time. The global mega event is gearing up to help shape a post-pandemic world and create a better future for all after a two-thirds majority of Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Member States voted in favour of postponing the next World Expo by one year. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Group, and Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, said, “We are thankful to Member States for their continued commitment to contributing to a World Expo in Dubai that will play a pivotal role in shaping our post-pandemic world at a time when it will be most needed. We have sought to build over the last 50 years bridges, connections, and partnerships around the world because we believe in genuine collaboration to safeguard the future of all. This swift and overwhelming vote reflects the strength of our international partnerships and truly reflects the positive role the UAE and Dubai play with all countries around the world.” Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the BIE, said, “In their support for the one-year postponement of Expo 2020 Dubai, Member States of the BIE are giving the world the opportunity to reconvene in 2021, when together, we can address the challenges facing humanity and celebrate the unity and solidarity that …

The Higher Organizing Committee of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) has announced that the 18th edition of the exhibition, which was scheduled for September 29 – October 3, 2020, will be rescheduled to September 2021, under the theme of ‘Sustainability and Heritage… A Reborn Aspiration’. The 18th edition of ADIHEX will be organised by the Emirates Falconers’ Club at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of Emirates Falconers’ Club. The decision to postpone the exhibition for a year was taken in consideration due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, to ensure the health and safety of all participants and visitors. H.E. Majid Ali Al Mansouri, Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee of the exhibition has revealed major changes for exhibitors and visitors including enhancing the quality of its exhibits, products, and unique innovations from the world of hunting and equestrian; maintaining ADIHEX’s profile as the largest annual event of its kind in the Middle East and Africa. The comprehensive expansion plan also includes improving the content of the event by providing innovative services, technologies, activities, and events with a renewed vision, strengthening the exhibition’s role in preserving the UAE’s heritage and promoting sustainable hunting. This is in addition to organizing more environmental, heritage, art, educational and awareness-raising activities.  

The world’s largest annual airport industry B2B platform has been rescheduled to take place from October 26-28, 2020 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) where it was scheduled earlier for June. The new dates reflect the aviation industry’s confidence of normalcy returning to global markets by then and the lifting of extensive travel restrictions around the world following the COVID-19 pandemic. Organised by Reed Exhibitions Middle East under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, the event is supported by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Dubai Airports, Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) and dnata, amongst a host of global and regional aviation bodies, suppliers’ associations and working groups. His Excellency Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO of Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans) said, “Every industry has come to a standstill due to the unforeseen circumstances we are faced with. Our past experiences of handling crises will help us to bounce back into the aviation business, once the crisis is contained.” Airport Show is expected to attract 375 exhibiting companies and over 8,500 visitors coming from almost 100 countries. Now in its 20th edition, the event showcases the most advanced global aviation technologies and allows attendees to participate in a series of conferences, matchmaking programmes and workshops. The collocated Global Airport Leaders Forum (GALF) and women in Aviation General Assembly will host over 1,500 delegates and 100 speakers, covering the latest industry developments across 4 key themes of Air Traffic Control, Airport Security, Airport Passenger Experience and Ground Handling. Last …

Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) has announced the cancellation of the second period of the Bahrain Food Festival, which was scheduled to be held between March 12 and March 23, 2020. This decision was taken as a result of the recent developments and necessary health precautions undertaken by the Government of Bahrain in accordance with international standards to contain the COVID-19 and to prevent its spread. The Kingdom has been praised by the World Health Organization for its approach in tackling the spread of the virus. BTEA extends its sincere thanks and gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of the first period of the festival, including participants, attendees and organisers.