Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has successfully concluded its involvement at the International Tourism Bourse (ITB), held this year from 6th to 10th March. DTCM came away with three dedicated awards, the visits of several VIPs and specialists from around the globe, as well as exceptional publicity from international media covering the event.

DTCM won, for the third consecutive year, two awards: “Best Representative Office in Germany” and “Most Popular Touristic Destination in the Middle East” from the association “Joa Ashia” that comprises more than 3000 members of tourist promotion bodies, airlines and hotels in Asia and in the region.

Mr. Norbert Viverline, the Association Director, awarded the two prizes to Mr. Eyad Abdulrahman, DTCM’s Executive Director of Media Relations and Business Development, in the presence of a large number of officials and departments employees.

Dubai’s DTCM also won the award for “Best Promotional Film” provided by “Golden City Gate”, for its 8-minute 2010 film “Defiantly Dubai” – in which Dubai Tourism presented various attractions and facilities including hotels, shopping malls, beaches and heritage places, sports and recreational facilities and airports. The award was given by a representative of Foundation Awards and accepted by Mr. Eyad Abdulrahman.

DTCM’s exhibition stage was privileged enough to be visited by many eminent personalities, among them H.E. Juma Mubarak Al Junaibi, the U.A.E. Ambassador to Germany, and several embassy luminaries including: the Charge d’Affaires, and an official of the economic section. The Ambassador praised the role of the DTCM in promoting Dubai and arranged for a dinner in honor of Dubai’s participants, during which he delivered a speech welcoming all the members and wishing them successful participation at the fair.

Many other VIPs also took the opportunity to visit the Dubai pavilion at the fair, including the Mayor of Berlin, Mr. Klaus Wowereit, who praised the participation of the UAE in general and Dubai in particular for the efforts made to promote relations between the two countries. Other visitors to the Dubai pavilion included Mr. Earnest Burjabasher, the Minister of Economy and Technology in Germany; Mr. Tim Clarck, Chairman of Emirates Airlines; H.E Mahmoud Ahmed Abdulla, the Ambassador of Bahrain in Germany; Mr. Georgine Boshi, the President of the Travel Agency Federation, and a large number of international companies’ representatives.

The Department took part in many fruitful talks during the meetings, laying the groundwork for new avenues of mutual cooperation.