Mid East travel industry urged to put sustainability top of agenda

World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi aims to create strong regional voice for green tourism initiatives

Organisers of World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi, the first commercial conference and exhibition specifically for the sustainable tourism sector, are urging travel trade decision makers at ATM to put sustainability at the top of their agenda for the rest of 2011.

The second edition of the event launched in the UAE capital last November is set to take place at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from 5-7 December 2011 and is designed to create a strong regional voice to drive green tourism initiatives.

Organised by Streamline Marketing Group, World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi provides global experts and travel trade professional alike with a platform to tackle key challenges, including the task of meeting growing demand for more responsible tourism destinations.

“We’re here at Arabian Travel Market to impress upon senior industry professionals that the regional travel trade now has a unique opportunity to come together and increase learning on sustainability and its growing significance,” said Streamline’s Group Director, Oisin Commane.

“It is acknowledged that there is a great deal of work to do in this region to establish a more sustainable tourism infrastructure in line with modern demands and expectations, and this can be the year in which we take significant steps forward.”

“World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi is an opportunity to establish a regional voice on green tourism and for the travel industry to work together to identify the best way forward.”

Commane and senior members of his event team are present at the ATM exhibition stand of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA). ADTA and the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi are headline sponsors of the World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi, which is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, ADTA’s Chairman.

Given its unique format, coupled with the presence of influential speakers, delegates, exhibitors and visitors, the event has a major capacity to increase sustainability learning while creating significant commercial opportunities.

Conference delegates, consisting of leaders in hotel management, tour operators, regional governments and NGOs, will also gain valuable insights on how to tackle challenges such as the difficulty of marketing a resort, city or region as a responsible tourism destination.

The range and variety of products and services now offering solutions in sustainability, from technology and engineering advances to ‘green’ cleaning solutions and energy saving devices, will be in sharp focus at the exhibition, which will be divided into three zones.

The first zone – Green Abu Dhabi – will focus on the UAE capital’s approach to developing a sustainable tourism infrastructure, and highlight initiatives such as the ADTA’s ‘green’ hotel guidelines, in which new properties are rated on their environmental footprint.

Other zones will be dedicated to sustainable destinations and green suppliers, giving the event significance for a broad cross section of the travel market amid increasing awareness that responsible tourism is the industry’s largest growth sector by demand.

Conference speakers will include high-level industry decision makers, among them global heads of hotel chains, airlines, travel merchandising and distribution companies, as well as leading government and NGO figures and environmental experts.

Lively debate is anticipated throughout as experts discuss conference themes such as the business case for sustainable tourism, the challenges of upgrading tourism facilities, and preparing green tourism champions by attracting local young talent, a key ingredient in establishing any city or region as a sustainable destination.

The conference will also analyse the importance of formulating a national green tourism strategy, and look at what major industry players are doing to advance the sustainability agenda, and why it makes business sense.

Those wishing to be involved in World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi, as a participant, sponsor, delegate or visitor can learn more about the event at www.worldgreentourism.com/ or by calling / [email protected]. / +971 4 447 5357.

Valere Tjolle
Valere Tjolle is the editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite latest special offer HERE