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An article published in the South African newspaper, The Citizen, described Dubai as a successful exhibition city, pointing to the role of the emirate’s exhibitions in increasing the number of visitors from the African continent, and in promoting tourism in Africa, which helps in promoting tourism in both directions.
The article pointed out that Dubai, which has become known as a major center for international travel, received in 2019 about 1.6 million visitors from the African continent, an increase of 5.1% compared to the previous year. And while the pandemic affected those numbers, the country is slowly gaining strength again with exhibitions such as the International Travel Show, especially since it has one of the largest and busiest airports and some of the largest man-made tourist attractions.
The article focused specifically on the Arabian Travel Market exhibition and the participation of South Africa in a pavilion at the exhibition, which was hosted by the Dubai World Trade Center this month and included more than 2,800 exhibitors from more than 150 countries, an important aspect of which lies in attracting an increasing number of African tourists who were visiting the city on over the past few years.
On the objectives of the exhibition, the article quotes Hoor Al Khaja, Assistant Vice President for International Operations at the Department of Economy and Tourism in Dubai, as saying, “The UAE, and especially Dubai, is actively marketing its offers in Africa,” pointing out that the UAE has sponsored major events in Africa, such as the African Nations Cup. The foot to help raise its professional file within the continent, and that its focus is on Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and Ethiopia, and that the partnership with the Dubai Tourism Authority can help boost tourism in both directions.
Many opportunities
The article pointed to the importance of the exhibition in expanding opportunities for small and medium-sized companies in South Africa, quoting the chief operating officer of “South African Tourism”, Nomasonto Ndolfu, as saying: “Small and medium-sized companies are a very important part of our tourism offerings, and through these commercial activities we can Showcasing a wide range of tourism products and experiences that travelers are looking for”, pointing out in the context of Dubai’s encouragement of South Africa’s efforts to provide educational and training opportunities for African tourism professionals, through the partnership concluded by the Dubai College of Tourism with many African countries, which culminated in success stories.
The article also pointed to the enormous opportunities offered by Dubai, quoting Ndolfo, “The UAE, and more specifically Dubai, is home to many expatriates, which provides a wonderful opportunity for small and medium companies to meet and engage a wider audience and create lasting impressions, and that by participating in events such as the travel market.” Al Arabi can expand its reach beyond local borders, as the participation of these small companies in the Arabian Travel Market is expected to contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of destinations, stimulating industry transformation and accelerating tourism growth.
The newspaper saw that the Arabian Travel Market exhibition in Dubai is a catalyst for employment growth and strategic cooperation, as the exhibition is known for encouraging growth in the field of employment, pointing out that the Small Tourism Enterprises Authority in South Africa reported that the participants in the exhibition last year returned with profitable deals, so that some companies Established strategic cooperation relationships to enhance ground handling services and products and product offerings.
