HRH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, United Arab Emirates vice president, prime minister and ruler of Dubai, has officially inaugurated Arabian Travel Market 2012, in the presence of senior government officials, leaders of the regional and international travel industry as well as high-profile participants. The event programme for day one of ATM brings together some of the most prominent travel and tourism organisations in the Middle East and internationally, from both public and private sectors.

Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara is set to open its doors on June 1, comprising 222 rooms and featuring unique Arabian design elements in its archways, mosaics and timber as well as subtle touches of 18-carat gold. The news was announced at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.

The Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing will be unveiling new tourism industry initiatives at the 19th edition of the Arabian Travel Market. The event will see a record 183 companies and government organisations joining the DDTCM as co-participants of the Dubai Stand.

Qatar Airways will showcase its new Boeing 787 seats with their Middle East debut at the region’s largest travel trade fair taking place in Dubai. Following the global unveiling of the airline’s 787 Dreamliner seats in Berlin last month, they will again come under the spotlight at Arabian Travel Market, a four-day event which attracts the crème de la crème of the travel industry from the Gulf, across the Middle East and around the world.

Swiss-BelHotel International will mark its Arabian Travel Market debut by announcing the addition of three new Middle East properties to its rapidly expanding regional portfolio. First off the development block will be The Beach Bay Hotel by Swiss-Belhotel Muscat; a 32-room boutique property located in the heart of the Omani capital’s diplomatic quarter.

While occupancy rose an impressive 22 per cent in 2011, the Taj Palace Dubai is looking for even better business at Arabian Travel Market this year, aiming to reinforce its key selling points to the region’s travel trade and overseas.