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The highly anticipated 3rd edition of Qatar Travel Mart organised by NeXTfairs, is set to take place from November 25 to 27 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center dedicated, to highlighting Qatar as a leading hub in the travel industry in the region.

This year, the event will welcome a diverse range of participants including senior executives, decision-makers, tourism experts, academics, researchers, government officials, representatives from related sectors and travel enthusiasts.

Exhibition space at this year’s edition is doubled to accommodate more international participants and to enhance attendee experience. Featuring 300 hosted buyers and focusing on seven key tourism sector of business, leisure, luxury, medical, cultural, sports, and halal tourism, QTM 2024 will unveil top travel destinations and the latest industry trends.

Reflecting on QTM 2023’s success, which saw participation from 60 countries, 250 exhibitors, and nearly 10,000 visitors: “Qatar Travel Mart has been a remarkable journey that underscores our commitment to fostering innovation and connecting industry leaders in the travel and tourism sectors. QTM 2024 is set to be our most impactful event yet, driving progress and shaping the future of the industry,” said Mr. Rawad Sleem, co-founder and general manager of NeXTfairs.

QTM 2024 also offer valuable investment opportunities in tourism development and feature a high-level conference with insights from top regional and international experts. The hosted buyer program, supported by Qatar Tourism plays a crucial role in facilitating collaboration and connections among industry stakeholders.

Expected to attract international associations, senior executives, and decision-makers, the event provides a unique platform for global buyers and visitors to explore Qatar’s diverse tourism offerings and consider it, as part of their travel plans. The event brings together a wide array of participants, including destination management companies, hotels, tour and cruise operators, travel agencies, travel technology companies, associations and tourism boards.

For more information, please visit https://qtmqatar.com/ or contact +974 5055 0120.

A memorandum of understanding was signed by Pacific Asia Travel Association with the Sanya Tourism Board to create a strategic alliance focused on the sustainable growth of tourism in Sanya and tropical islands across the Asia Pacific region.

The MOU was ratified by Sanya Tourism Board director general, Mr. Albert Yip and PATA chief executive officer Mr. Noor Ahmad Hamid, during the 2024 Tropical Coastal City Tourism Event media briefing on August 27, which was held in conjunction with PATA Travel Mart 2024.

Sanya as the most representative tropical coastal city in China, has rich tourism resources and unique geographical advantages, is one of the PATA’s important cooperative partner for future development stated PATA’s chief executive officer.

According to the agreement, both parties will work together to strengthen cooperation in culture and tourism, conduct in-depth tourism research in fields such as the development of tropical coastal tourism, international tourism marketing, and sustainable development.

As part of the MOU both parties commit to jointly organise the Tropical Coastal City Tourism Event in Sanya for three years from 2024 to 2026, with the aim of expanding Sanya’s influence within the global island tourism industry.

The 2024 Tropical Coastal City Tourism Event, will take place at the China Hyatt Regency Sanya Tianli Bay in Sanya, Hainan, China from September 4th to 5th.

Under the theme ‘The Next Wave: Shaping the Future of Tourism Marketing in Tropical Coastal Cities’ the event will delve into key topics on innovative international tourism marketing strategies, support local communities, and the sustainable development of tropical coastal cities.

What the event aims to provide, is a platform for tropical coastal city mayor and tourism professionals, to share best practices while establishing Sanya, as a key inbound international tourism destination in China.

This event marks a significant milestone in fostering closer cooperation and joint development among tropical coastal cities.

This year, the ITB Asia conference has adopted the theme ‘Innovating for Tomorrow: Strengthening Future Resilience in Travel and Tourism’ which will be the main focus over the three days from October 23 to 25 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore.

Under this theme, attendees will be able to obtain ground-breaking knowledge and insights, how to adapt to changing consumer expectations as well as, improve operational efficiency to create a sustainable and more immersive experiences.

Renowned industry experts, including notable figures from Almaty Tourism Bureau, Booking.com, Croatian National Tourist Board, Dubai World Trade Centre, FCM Meetings and Events, Live Group, MG Group, Skyscanner, Tripadvisor and World Travel and Tourism Council, will explore, debate and discuss the latest insights revolutionising the travel and tourism sector.

Opening keynote on the first day is by Ms. Liz Ortiguera, the managing director Asia-Pacific and senior advisor to the chief executive officer of World Travel amd Tourism Council. Title of her speech is ‘Global Trends for Sustainable Travel and Tourism’. Attendees will gain an economic outlook on the travel and tourism industry in Asia-Pacific, global and regional trends that are influencing the sector’s transition towards a sustainable future.

While Mr. Kevin Goh, chief executive officer lodging of CapitaLand Investment Limited and is the chief executive officer, The Ascott Limited will deliver a keynote speech entitled ‘Navigating the Future of Travel: Embracing Technological Innovation’ offering an insight on the transformative impact of technology in the industry.

According to Ms. Joyce Wang, executive director of Messe Berlin, organiser of ITB Asia, MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia, this year’s ITB Asia is “jam-packed and full of energy celebrating the vibrant travel tourism scene with cultural and destination showcases complemented by a seamless B2B business meetings scheduler.”

The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event, has made key executive appointments, as it expands the team in preparation for AIME 2025 to be held in February next year.

John Wilson with more than 25 years of experience in event marketing is designated as the new marketing director of AIME.  This is after having led teams at international event and trade fair organisers such as Informa, Deutsche Messe and Foundry.

He will be responsible for AIME’s global marketing communications, as the event gets ready for its 32nd show in 2025.

While multi-disciplinary creative storyteller Kayla Elliott joins in the role of marketing executive, and will be creating content that connects with AIME’s global audience.

Appointed as director of operations and content is Clair Graham. She brings with her more than 20 years of event management experience.

Also joining the operations team is Nissa Ni as event and systems coordinator, who comes to the role after almost 15 years at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, the home of AIME.

“We are so excited to welcome John, Claire, Kayla and Nissa to the AIME team. They are already making their impact felt, bringing new ideas and inspiration as preparations for AIME 2025 continue at pace,” said Silke Calder, event director of AIME.

The 2025 event is set to be a blockbuster. Held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, AIME has enlarged its footprint to 15,000 square metres, with over 10 bays to accommodate more than 600 exhibitors, 650 hosted buyers and the 20,000 meetings that are set to take place on the show floor.

Ms. Calder stated AIME has cemented its position as the leading events host for the international business events community in the region.

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust who operates the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre have taken, a significant step towards inclusivity with the launch of their latest Accessibility Action Plan – welcoming visitors from diverse backgrounds.

MCET adopts the social model view of recognising these barriers are due to social systems and structures, rather than the individual, and the new Accessibility Action Plan seeks to address both physical and non-visible barriers.

The Plan focuses on four key goals: improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities; improving access to goods, services and facilities at MCEC and Nyaal Banyul; collaborating with event organisers to ensure everyone can meaningfully participate and engage in events; and changing discriminatory attitudes, behaviours and practices.

MCET has already made significant progress towards accessibility and inclusion across both venues.

The iconic Melbourne venue, MCEC has a range of accessible features available to support visitors with mobility needs, vision impairment and assisted hearing.

MCEC’s new website launched last year was designed with inclusivity in mind, complying to WCAG 2.0 Level AA Accessibility Guidelines, and providing information about accessible features as well as virtual tours of the venue, allowing visitors to easily explore, navigate and plan their visit. Over the next three years, MCET has committed to further enhancing accessibility at the venue.

Construction of Nyaal Banyul, which is set to open on the Geelong waterfront in 2026 is currently underway. MCET is working closely with the Victorian Government and the consortium led by Plenary Conventions to ensure Universal Design principles are embedded throughout the venue, ensuring accessible gathering spaces for all who visit.

In addition, a Positive Impact Guide was launched last year to provide event organisers with tangible resources to embed corporate social responsibility into their events. The guide includes information on accommodations that can be made to support attendees, as well as partnerships with leading disability service providers, Travellers Aid and Alkira.

MCET’s Accessibility Action Plan was developed with input from people with lived experience along with expertise from accessibility consultants in the tourism industry. This included support from the City of Melbourne Business Capacity Program.

While the Accessibility Action Plan has been designed specifically with accessibility and reasonable reading levels in mind is available in plain language and easy English format at https://www.mcec.com.au/our-impact/accessibility-action-plan

ICCA Asia Pacific, MPI and IAPCO are supporting partners for the inaugural IBTM Asia Pacific, which will take place from March 19  to 20 in 2025. AsiaWorld-Expo, one of the major convention and exhibition facilities in Hong Kong has been confirmed as the venue for the spring tradeshow.

The show provides a gateway to the Asia Pacific MICE market bringing together a high calibre group of international, APAC regional and local meeting planners and exhibitors for two days of pre-scheduled one-to-one business meetings, education and networking.

An opportunity for global destinations and suppliers to showcase their products and solutions to over 250 pre-qualified buyers and 1,500 visitors from over 20 countries within Asia Pacific.

IBTM Asia Pacific event will be supported by IBTM’s innovative matchmaking technology and pioneering hosted buyer programme, which creates personalised appointment diaries for buyers and exhibitors.

The region’s only double-bill event in MICE and corporate travel returns to Bangkok, Thailand this September 24 to 26. What you can expect from the show are:

Structured On-Site Appointments

Pre-scheduled appointments with buyer profiles of your choice such as  associations, MICE and corporate buyers.

Brand Showcase Presentations

Share your brand’s latest highlights and developments with MICE, Association, Corporate Buyers and Media.

Keynote Lecture

Experts take the stage to present their perspectives on the industry’s most pertinent talking points.

Association Day Forum

Helmed by Association professionals for Association professionals this ever-popular forum curates the current talking points in Association management with interactive discussions.

ASEAN MICE Forum

The only one of its kind in the world that advances ASEAN’s latest MICE development and insights on an international scale through promotion, awareness and conversation between the region’s key players and the global community.

Corporate Travel World Conference

To cultivate travel and entertainment best practices among Asia-Pacific’s corporate travel professionals.

Future Leaders Forum

Organised in strategic partnership between IMEX, Meeting Professionals International  and MCI Group, FLF is a crucial platform to hone the future of the country’s MICE industry by inspiring Thailand’s brightest students studying in the field.

Finally, there is the Asia-Pacific’s prestigious travel industry awards to look forward to. Reputed as the most coveted and influential awards to be won in the region’s travel industry.

Chief Privacy Officer for Asia, Ms. Meida Wong of FCM travel management company, shares ways business travellers can safeguard their data while travelling.

Here are some essential steps you may take to help you keep your personal information safe:

Secure Your Devices and Accounts

Before embarking on your journey, ensure all your devices, including smartphones, laptops, and tablets, are adequately secured. Set up complex passwords, PIN codes, or even better, biometric authentication methods to prevent unauthorised access.

Turn on the encryption features such as device encryption and encrypted messaging apps to protect your data from prying eyes.

Use a unique password for different accounts. This way if one is compromised, the rest are less likely to be affected, limiting the impact of a data breach.

Where possible, biometric authentication method can also prevent password or PIN theft from shoulder surfing.

Treat your password like your toothbrush and keep it private. Do not share it and change it often.

“In today’s digital age, the volume of personal information we share for various activities has exponentially increased. You may be online shopping, ordering food delivery, downloading mobile applications, playing an online game, or simply browsing the web and your personal data is at play. In a world where such information commands high value, it’s vital to secure it, particularly when travelling,” said Ms. Wong.

Use Secure Networks

Avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi, such as those in airports, cafes, and hotels, especially so when conducting banking activities, such as checking account balances, making transfers, or entering sensitive financial information.

Instead, use a secure and trusted network, such as a personal mobile data connection, or a virtual private network (VPN).

Ensure the websites you use for banking or payment purposes use HTTPS encryption, indicated by a padlock icon and https:// in the uniform resource locator (URL).

Always log out of your sessions when not in use to prevent session hijacking and only provide passwords and PINs at trusted locations – be aware of social engineering.

Use Caution When Sharing On Social Media

Exercise discretion and limit the personal details you disclose, when sharing photos and updates on social media platforms during your travels.

Avoid posting real-time updates about your location and itinerary, as this information could be used by cybercriminals to target you for theft or surveillance. Wait until you have returned home to share your travel experience to minimise the risk of becoming a target.

Here are some tips to consider when it comes to safe social media use. Review your privacy settings to ensure your social media profiles are private. This makes it easy to directly control who has access to your accounts and posts. This is how you can make sure no strangers can view your content.

Remember that stories and Snapchat do not disappear. Many travellers assume that their stories are only available for twenty-four hours which is not the case.

Even with privacy settings turned on, photos contain information cybercriminals are looking for. For example, if a cybercriminal gets access to a photo’s metadata, it can contain your location information which can let the criminal know that your home is vacant.

To avoid this, share your photos once you return home.

Minimise Location Sharing

It is common for travellers to update their social media accounts when they are travelling. The problem with this type of excessive sharing is that it creates a security threat at home.

By sharing your every location, it allows criminals to determine that you are not in your hotel room or home, leaving both your home and personal property vulnerable.

Disable Bluetooth Connectivity

Similar to your phone’s automatic Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity can present problems as signals can come from anywhere. If your Bluetooth is left on, nearby assailants can connect to your phone and potentially hack into your device hence it is wise to keep Bluetooth disabled as much as possible.

Protecting your personal data is an ongoing process that requires constant vigilance and proactive measures so remember to keep your personal data as you travel.

Showcasing the latest development in the global halal market, the organisers of the exhibition, 1st Arabia Tradeshows and Conferences set the expo date of the second edition to take place from October 28 to 30 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

The organisers aim to secure and connect more than 200 local and international companies during this three-day event, welcoming over 10,000 visitors from nearly 35 countries worldwide for an opportunity to conduct business meetings, attend lectures and explore new trends in the halal industry and halal certification.

While the expo serves as a platform to present the latest trends of the global halal market and to highlight the challenges the industry face in compliance with halal regulations and standardisation. The expo offers the opportunity to focus on the latest innovations, research, and progress within the halal industry.

At the same time, the expo also aims to spread and expand the awareness about the industry among the visitors by attracting major international bodies to share their knowledge, and to present their research and innovations.

This as well as to attract professionals from around the world, Muslims, and non-Muslims to establish business relationships with local, regional and international businesses.

“We believe that the support of local and international partners in the Halal industry and the food and beverage industry respectively, is very important to us and of great value to the exhibition. Our partners, play a great role in the continuation of the success of our event,” said Mr. Bilal Al Barmawi, chief executive officer and managing director of 1st Arabia Tradeshows & Conferences.

1st Arabia Tradeshows & Conferences is pleased to announce the partnership with MICE in Asia for the second edition, which is believed to be an important partnership and of added value to the Saudi International Halal Expo & Summit.

For more details and information to participate in the Saudi International Halal Expo & Summit, please visit www.saudihalalexpo.com

Specialist business events communications agency, Davies Tanner, has retained the IBTM World account for a further two years following a highly competitive review process.

The new term will see Davies Tanner continuing to elevate IBTM World’s position as the original and leading live event experience for the global business events sector. Activity will focus on increasing brand awareness amongst new audiences and geographical territories, as well as driving an upweighted programme of brand and industry Advocacy, with Davies Tanner leading the implementation and delivery of the enhanced communications strategy.

In addition to its impressive portfolio of clients in the business events sector, Davies Tanner also has a strong advocacy network, through The Business of Events, its advocacy and industry engagement brand, which will also be used as part of the 2024 campaign.

Davies Tanner also recently launched sister agency, The Audience, which provides a dedicated offer for clients operating in the travel and tourism sector.

The agency’s approach puts audiences at the forefront of strategic planning and activations to deliver campaigns that grow awareness and create loyal brand advocates. Core services include public relations, social media, digital content design and creation, media relations, brand partnerships and influencer relations.