FAMILY-centric travel, which accounted for more than 12.5 per cent of the $1.07 trillion global tourism market, has been selected as the official show theme for Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2015, which takes place at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from May 4 to 7 next year.
According to a Reuters report, the value of the global family tourism market was $140 billion in 2013. That figure is set to rise to over $180 billion by 2018, with growth expected to continue at a rate of 4.79 per cent annually until 2020, compared with just 3.8 per cent overall tourism growth. The Dubai Capital of Islamic Economy initiative has identified the UAE as a top source market for family travel, with spending power worth over $10 billion. In the Middle East, GCC families often travel in large groups and companies like Millennium & Copthorne are honing in on the demand for value-for-money accommodation with the development of new brands designed to service the unique needs of travelling families. “Historically, attracting families to stay at your hotel has involved creating special packages or seasonal offers, while juggling with yield and room configurations. With our recently launched Millennium Executive Apartments brand, we can now offer a tailored product with a simplified rate structure,” said Naeem Darkazally, vice-president of sales and marketing for Millennium and Copthorne Middle East & Africa. The 2015 event will grow with an additional hall as this year saw total attendance increase by 12 per cent to reach 33,000 exhibitors and visitors.