Discover Europe summit to explore GCC travel market in Dubai

More than 100 tourism representatives from Austria, Germany, Ireland, and Switzerland will gather in Dubai later this month at the Discover Europe Travel Summit to explore new opportunities within the Middle East travel market.

The two-day networking event will take place at 25Hours Hotel Dubai One Central from April 29 to 30, the weekend immediately prior to the start of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the region’s largest travel exhibition. Promising an ideal prelude to ATM, Discover Europe is held in partnership with the European Travel Commission and set to draw attendance of at least 110 GCC buyers specialising in the culture and luxury sectors of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

Set to feature presentations from the four national tourism boards along with one-to-one meetings and networking events, the summit will bring together buyers and exhibitors holding just under 4,500 meetings.

Miguel Gallego, Head of Marketing at the European Travel Commission, said: “As we prepare to kick off the Discover Europe Travel Summit in Dubai, we are thrilled to be a partner at an event that has been collaborating with GCC buyers to strengthen our existing relationships and explore new opportunities. Our goal is to foster long-lasting partnerships and promote Europe's rich culture, history, and natural beauty to the discerning travellers of the GCC region. We believe that by working together, we can create innovative travel experiences that showcase the best of what Europe has to offer and pave the way for a bright future of travel industry growth and success."

Michael Tauschmann, Head of Markets Middle East & India at the Austrian National Tourist Office, concluded: "It is an absolute privilege to have the opportunity to reconnect with the GCC market and stay up to date with the latest travel trends. We take immense pride in being recognised as one of the top premium destinations for travellers from the Middle East, alongside the other three European countries. We are excited to once again collaborate and facilitate meaningful connections between major tourism players and the local travel trade.”

Yamina Sofo, Director of the Dubai-based German National Tourist Office (GNTO), the regional office of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), added: “We recognise the importance of the GCC market, especially with the surge in travellers in 2022 compared to previous years. With our exceptional cultural offerings and breath-taking natural landscapes, Germany offers GCC residents the opportunity to explore unique places throughout the year. With a keen focus on sustainability and accessibility we’re looking forward to highlighting the plethora of eco-friendly and inclusive travel options for visitors during the Discover Europe event to our key partners."

Aisling McDermott, Manager Middle East & Asia of Tourism Ireland, said she is excited to showcase the island of Ireland’s unique offerings at an event that traditionally produces results.

“We are delighted to be present at the Discover Europe event and eagerly anticipate the positive outcomes of our efforts,” McDermott said.

Participating in this event was an effortless choice for us, having witnessed the impressive results achieved by top European tourism boards in previous years. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to stand alongside them once again and showcase the island of Ireland as a quintessential holiday destination for their GCC clients."

Matthias Albrecht, Director GCC of Switzerland Tourism, added: “It’s a special pleasure to see “Discover Europe” growing and blooming, especially as it will be my last one. But to showcase Switzerland to the GCC in the middle of our European friends is not only a lot of fun, it’s also very important to us.

“The GCC are a priority market, the highest tier in our market framework. In 2022, visitors from the GCC to Switzerland almost reached the level of 2019 pre-pandemic and growth is continuing strongly into 2023 - it seems that Switzerland’s green nature, the fresh air, it’s deep blue lakes, snowcapped mountains, lively cities and our sustainable train offering is never losing its charm. We are looking forward to welcome many more visitors from the GCC in Switzerland this summer.”

WAM