Standing out from the crowd

This year’s Best Stand Awards at Arabian Travel Market recognise the creative design, people skills and business-friendly appeal of exhibiting companies

SAUDIA

Jumeirah

Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi

Ishraq Hospitality TBS / V Booking

With over 1,500 exhibitors pulling out all the stops to showcase their creative and business flair during the 29th edition of Arabian Travel Market, the competition for this year’s Best Stand Awards was tough and it was no easy task for the judges to decide who would take top honours.

The categories this year included Best Stand Design, Best Stand for Doing Business, Best Stand Feature, Best New Stand, Best Stand at ATM Travel Tech and the People’s Choice Award. The awards recognise the creative design, people skills and business-friendly appeal of exhibiting companies’ stands at the annual showcase. And the winners are...

BEST STAND DESIGN

SAUDIA’s mesmerising staircase (ME4310) has been one of the most talked-about features at the show, and it came as no surprise that the airline won the award for the Best Stand Design.

The stand’s futuristic and striking layout made it a popular spot, not only for meetings but also for its Instagramworthy appeal, with visitors spotted taking several selfies and pictures at the foot of the stairs throughout the show.

BEST STAND FOR DOING BUSINESS

Jumeirah’s buzzing stand (HC0330, HC0310) bagged this coveted prize. The design and signature hospitality of the brand seamlessly incorporated networking and business throughout the busy show days.

Alexander Lee, Chief Commercial Officer, Jumeirah Group, said: “As a leading luxury hospitality group, we are very proud to be recognised as having the Best Stand for Doing Business at ATM 2022. Surprising architecture and design is one of our key brand differentiators and our stand reflects our prowess in crafting unique experiences and designing exceptional spaces.”

BEST STAND FEATURE

With its intuitive and interactive display and video content, Abu Dhabi (ME2350, ME2310) won the award for the Best Stand Feature. Attendees were amazed by the immersive tunnel that was converted into a massive projector putting the spotlight on Abu Dhabi’s various cultural landmarks and iconic attractions.

It was also the stage for several events at the stand, such as the announcement of the inaugural NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 that will take place this October and see reigning NBA champions Milwaukee Bucks face the Atlanta Hawks in two preseason games.

BEST NEW STAND

Ishraq Hospitality’s stand (HC0210), which prominently featured greenery and a wooden design reminiscent of the desert landscape, was a big hit.

Alexander Suski, Acting CEO and Commercial and Business Development Director, Ishraq Hospitality, said: “Winning the Best New Stand award at ATM 2022 feels great, especially knowing that the exhibition attracted thousands of visitors.

“I think ATM is one of the most dynamic platforms to be a part of. We are here at the show to announce our expansion in the UAE, Egypt and Oman. So, the event was a great platform for us and winning this accolade makes it even more special!”

BEST STAND AT ATM TRAVEL TECH

TBS/V Booking’s stand (TT1279) caught the eye of visitors as it took travel services to the virtual world by combining blockchain and metaverse technologies.

Omrei Abumadi, Founder & CEO, TBS/V Booking, said: “We feel very proud to have won this award. But it does definitely put pressure on us to do even better next year. We are launching our system next month, so participating in Arabian Travel Market 2022 was very important to us.

“We were able to give visitors a sneak peek into how this new technology works and how it’s set to transform the travel industry.”

THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

Yesterday, after the winners were selected, they were put to the public vote for a chance to walk away with the coveted People’s Choice Award. Calls for votes were made via social media, with the winner to be announced later today.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “Arabian Travel Market would not be the huge success it is without the incredible amount of effort and investment that goes into creating and manning the exhibitor stands at the show. Since its inception, the award programme has not only recognised exhibitor’s efforts but has also encouraged exciting, fresh and creative stands.”