French travel agents to meet in Dubai

The national trade union for French travel agents has chosen to hold its annual convention in Dubai later this month.

More than 40 representatives from the Syndicat National Des Agencies De Voyages (SNAV) will be attending the convention from November 17 to 21.

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has welcomed the union's decision saying it will help generate future tourism to Dubai from France.

Director General Khalid A. bin Sulayem said: "SNAV has been the central link for the travel trade in France for 50 years and conveys an integrated and consistent front for the French travel industry. Their decision to host the convention in Dubai underlines the emirate's growing status as the major centre for meetings and conventions in the region."

SNAV's membership includes 1,300 registered travel agents, 3,500 point of sale staff and represents 75 per cent of the French travel trade.

"We are positive that this convention will give French travel professionals the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the destination and provide us with an excellent opportunity to market our emirate to travel buyers from France," bin Sulayem said.

SNAV president M. Pauli confirmed the union's intentions in a letter to the DTCM's office in France.

"We have decided to confirm Dubai as the venue for our convention later this month which asserts our support for this fast growing destination," he wrote.

Meanwhile, leading Russian tour operators met tourism bosses in Dubai yesterday and confirmed their commitment to the emirate.

The meeting at the DTCM also included a presentation about Dubai and its tourist attractions.

Bin Sulayem, said: "As part of our considerably stepped up promotions across Russia, we met with some of the top Russian tour operators, who between them control a bulk of the Russian outbound travel to Dubai, and they have all confirmed a strong commitment to the emirate."

He said the DTCM has stepped up its promotions across Russia, the CIS and the Baltic states in a drive to attract increased business and leisure traffic to Dubai from a market that offers significant potential.

"Dubai has become known as a major tourist destination for travellers from Russia following the DTCM's promotional activity of the past few years," he said.

In 2000, Dubai's hotel establishments received almost 200,000 Russian guests and there are currently 526 Russian tour operators offering packages to Dubai.