Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) on Monday kicked off its first multi-city travel trade roadshow in Middle East.
MATATO is participating in the Outbound Travel Roadshow (OTR) Middle East, which takes place from Monday to Friday in Dubai, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman. The event will go on as follows:
- Monday – Welcome dinner at Dubai, where you get introduced to the invitees.
- Tuesday – Workshop at Dubai. Leave to Kuwait next morning.
- Wednesday – Workshop at Kuwait. Leave to Qatar next morning.
- Thursday – Workshop at Qatar. Leave to Qatar next morning.
- Friday – Workshop at Oman.
OTR is a trade-only event that connects buyers and suppliers of travel services and products, and provides a key forum to shape the future of the industry through networking and education. Held across the most prominent feeder cities, OTR attracts all the vanguards of travel trade industry. Attendees include key decision makers and budget holders with direct purchasing responsibility.
In addition to the Middle East edition, similar OTR events are held in India and Southeast Asia throughout the year.
MATATO will also be taking part in the OTR event to be held in India in March.
Middle East, which has proven to be a volatile market, posted a sizeable decline of 4.2 percent. Arrivals from almost every major Middle Eastern market, except the United Arab Emirates which was up 30.3 percent, declined during 2017; Saudi Arabia was down by 11 percent, Qatar by 52.4 percent, Kuwait by 8.6 percent and Egypt by 5.1 percent.