The Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM), organised by Reed Travel Exhibitions, is offering hosted buyers the opportunity to take part in a pre-show Abu Dhabi tour entitled “Experience the Magic”. The city tour will take place on 7 April, just before the event on the 8-10 April 2008, and is organised in partnership with NCC (member of the Net Group), sponsored by ADTA.
Hosted buyers will be able to witness how Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates has transformed itself from a small fishing village before the discovery of oil in the early 1960s to a metropolis which blends modernity and traditional Arabian culture, making it the perfect destination for meeting professionals and those involved in the industry.
Scheduled visits will include the iconic architectural landmarks being built on Saadiyat Island, with a trip to the TDIC exhibition at the Emirates Palace, and explanations on both the world-class museum devoted to modern and contemporary art to be called the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, which is being designed by the internationally-acclaimed architect Frank Gehry, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi designed by French architect Jean Nouvel.
After lunch, hosted buyers will visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which when finished will be one of the largest in the world. They will then be given a choice between a programme of tailor-made hotel inspections or a guided tour of the Khayal al Sahara (Sahara Illusion) Desert Camp, built following the local traditional style.
In the evening, Hosted Buyers will be invited to the pre-event Ice Breaker networking reception sponsored by and taking place at the Hilton Abu Dhabi.
Prior to GIBTM 2008, the Gulf Meetings and Events Conference, created and delivered by MPI will take place in Dubai on 5-6 April. Delegates attending the conference will be transferred to GIBTM 2008 in Abu Dhabi on Monday 7 April. Both events will, for the first time, create a week dedicated to providing a focus for the industry sector by delivering an educational, business and networking opportunity for the Gulf region.
The Hosted Buyer Programme is open to professionals who work as senior level meeting planners, in-house travel managers, conference organisers, event organisers, independent agencies such as event and conference organisers, incentive houses and business travel agencies who carry out these functions, also PAs responsible for arranging meetings and finding venues. Professionals wishing to apply for the programme should visit www.gibtm.travel/hostedbuyers.
About GIBTM
The Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM), staged annually in the exciting and developing destination of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, is the leading exhibition dedicated to the Meetings, Incentive Events and Business Travel Industry in the Gulf and wider Middle East region. GIBTM brings together regional and international buyers and suppliers for three days of business, networking and professional education and aims to be the driver behind the development of the meetings industry across the region.
