Glad to be back

 Arabian Travel Market (ATM) returned to Dubai in May, becoming the largest face to face travel and tourism event in the world since the start of the pandemic. The hybrid event at the World Trade Centre combined a four-day in-person event from 16-19 May, with a virtual event a week later, from 24-26 May, for those unable to attend in person. 

Among the most visible participants was the Saudi Tourism Authority which took the occasion to showcase Saudi’s strength as a leisure destination through an immersive pavilion which brought to life the country’s exciting, diverse tourism offer in a visually dynamic way. “Saudi is driving a new model of tourism for the twenty-first century and this year’s ATM demonstrated the recognition by major global travel industry players of the tremendous opportunities our dynamic and growing tourism industry offers,” said Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority. 

Over the course of the four-day in-person event, visitors were invited to embark on their own Saudi journey through an interactive deep-dive into its top destinations and resorts, from the pristine coastline of the Red Sea to the breath-taking heritage sites of Hegra, AlUla and Diriyah, outside Riyadh.  At the Saudi Arabia Tourism Summit, a dedicated buyer forum, Fahd Hamidaddin addressed travel trade professionals to highlight the unique business opportunities offered by the country, which opened up to international tourism in September 2019.  

In a second session on the ATM Global Stage, Saudi sector leaders shared insights into the “giga-project effect”, from developments that preserve and promote its heritage, culture and natural assets to theme parks, futuristic cities in the desert and luxury resorts with a strong focus on sustainability. 

During the face to face event, more than 20 Saudi partners converged at the Saudi exhibitor stand, which hosted more than 900 face to face meetings and witnessed a flurry of deals between the country's leading travel companies and international tourism partners. 

And this year, for the first time in ATM history, the addition of virtual ATM a week later enabled the Saudi Tourism Authority to reach a wider audience than ever before. International buyers unable to attend due to on-going travel restrictions could watch the STA’s summit sessions, view their destination videos, and attend 1:1 meetings online.  

“Partnerships with the world’s major tourism players are transforming Saudi’s great ambition as a leisure tourism destination into reality, so we were thrilled to see so much positive movement at ATM. We thank ATM’s organisers for the opportunity to showcase Saudi’s iconic places, profound experiences and unparalleled hospitality to the region and the world,” said Fahd Hamidaddin. 

Ahava Australia is a manufacturer and wholesale supplier of gifts, souvenirs, accessories and homewares crafted in Australia or sourced from Europe’s best artisans.  Owner Johnothan Naiman is passionate about supporting local artists’ and committed to ethical sourcing and sustainable practices. He is also a great believer in the power of trade shows to generate new customers and help grow the business.  

“Reaching prospects individually is time-consuming and expensive” explained Johnothan.  “Good trade events attract a large and relevant audience many of whom are attending for the express purpose of sourcing suppliers. They provide a unique opportunity to showcase a large portion of our range to a broad group that have little or no knowledge of our product and brand offerings.” 

During the pandemic  Ahava Australia undertook a root and branch review of their marketing strategy with the aim of reaching out to new clients and decided to exhibit at Reed Gift Fairs Sydney for the first time in April. 

Reed Gift Fairs is Australia’s premier trading platform for buyers and sellers in the gift and homewares industry. The event traditionally takes place twice a year in Sydney (February) and Melbourne (August), but following postponements due to COVID-19, was held for the first time in over a year from 17-20 April 2021 in Sydney.  

“Reed Gift Fairs Sydney is aimed at our target market, was open to a large and diverse range of audiences, and provided us with a platform to promote our large product range to a wide range of prospects who would otherwise be difficult to reach due to travel restrictions,” said Johnothan on his decision to participate.  

Ahava Australia were present with 60m2 of exhibit space, an enhanced online directory listing incorporating a product gallery, and a listing in Reed Gift Fairs'  digital ‘Big Book’. “Our objectives were to reposition our brand, attract new customers, and generate revenue leading up to, during and after the fair” said Johnothan. “We had a very successful event. For the first time in over a year, we were able to interact with customers at a trade show which was well organised and felt safe. The Reed Gift Fairs team were extremely helpful and supportive and we achieved great business results, generating new customers and leads.”  

“Reed Gift Fairs Sydney was delighted to bring the gift and homewares industry back together to ‘Reignite Retail’" says Event Director Cory McCarrick. “Although the Sydney event was smaller than usual due to ongoing travel restrictions, we attracted almost 10,000 retail buyers. The higher ratio of retailers per exhibitor created a great sense of energy on the show floor helping to contribute to the very positive experience of Ahava Australia and our other exhibitors.”

Airport lighting supplier, Amira Group, couldn’t have been happier to be back at NAIS (National Aviation Infrastructure Show), which ran from 9-10 February in Moscow. NAIS is the leading event in Russia & CIS for the development of airports, airlines and heliports - it also marked RX Russia’s much anticipated return to face to face business in 2021. 

“We could feel how much the audience had missed live events” said Julia Lusenko, Brand Manager. “Online communication can’t fully replace the experience of participating in a live show. Not only can you pre-arrange meetings with customers and prospects, but you also get to make many new connections, whether on your stand, in the conference hall, or exchanging a few words as you walk the aisles. Building relationships in this way is invaluable for us.” 

Amira engineers, manufactures and installs external lighting systems for major infrastructure projects in Russia and abroad, from airports, seaports and highways, to urban centres, sports and industrial facilities. Founded 30 years ago in a rented room, it has grown into a major enterprise employing 400 people across its design office, three factories, construction and installation company in Moscow and Rostov-on-Don. 

Over the years, the company has regularly invested in trade exhibitions to drive brand awareness and business expansion. “Exhibitions are important to us to present our new products to the market, and to demonstrate to existing customers that we continue to take a pro-active role in driving innovation,” Julia explained.  

At NAIS 2021, Amira showcased its range of airport lighting including a new one-way lighting mast with a moveable frame system. Technical Director Vladimir Kharkov also shared his expertise on airport lighting problems and solutions at the NAIS Forum. “NAIS enabled us to negotiate with many designers, engineers and customers in the field of airport construction, to get feedback on current projects, and to offer our projects to civil airports and airfields,” said Julia.  

“NAIS 2021 was extremely important for us in demonstrating to Amira and our other clients that the exhibition industry is alive and as important as ever, and that our exhibitions are safe to attend,” said Yury Stolbovsky, Managing Director, RX Russia. “While the event was smaller this year due to ongoing travel restrictions, there was strong demand from buyers who wanted to reconnect with suppliers and find new ones. As a result exhibitor satisfaction levels reached 98% (up from 88% in 2020).”