The Arabian Travel Market (ATM), that concluded yesterday (May 9th) will move next year to the Dubai World Trade Centre's (DWTC) Dubai International Convention Centre (DICC), the brand new state-of-the-art conference, exhibition and meetings facility, officials announced.

"It is significant that the DICC, the region's most modern and comprehensive venue for meetings, conferences and exhibitions in the region, will be hosting ATM which is acknowledged as the most wide ranging travel and tourism show in the Middle East," said DWTC Director General, Mubarak bin Fahad following a meeting with Matt Thompson, Group Exhibition Director of Reed Exhibitions, organisers of ATM.

"With the ATM becoming wider and more far-reaching in scope each year it was natural that they would be looking for a venue that could meet their ever-increasing needs. The DICC, with its remarkably flexible set up and state-of-the-art facilities that are unmatched in the region, was ideally placed to meet their requirements. Indeed the DICC is suitable for the most demanding of clients with a variety of needs," observed Mr. bin Fahad.

The DICC is big enough to accommodate events with up to 12,000 delegates and its main multipurpose hall has the capacity to hold up to 6000 delegates. When set as an auditorium, for the maximum capacity, it features 2,500 retractable seats in a tiered setting and an additional 2,000 seats on the flat.

The DICC is complemented by a variety of onsite accommodation options including the 412-room Novotel World Trade Centre, the 210-room Ibis World Trade Centre hotels that open for business in July 2003 and the Dubai International Hotel Apartments offering an additional 492 rooms all situated within the DWTC complex.

ATM attracts participants from airlines, car rental companies, conference/incentive/meeting venues, cruise line/ferry companies, ground handlers, health spas and resorts, hotels/accommodation providers, Internet support services, reservation systems, specialist interest holiday organisers, technology and telecommunication, tourist boards/associations, tour operators, transport: air, road, rail, shipping, travel agencies and other travel related services.