19 - 25 July 2001
Issue No.543
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 19 - 25 July 2001 Issue No.543 |
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Mixing business and pleasure
Conferences and exhibitions are becoming increasingly popular. Rehab Saad learns about their significance to the tourist industry
Egypt has a rich historical and cultural heritage, beach resorts, golf courses, curative tourism, vast deserts, beautiful coral reefs and natural areas. Now international conference tourism -- with conventions, exhibitions and festivals -- are being put on the list.
Don't be misled into thinking that these events are solely business-oriented and have nothing to do with the leisure industry. As the last decade has shown, conferences and exhibitions have been established as two significant components of the tourist industry. And why not? They often cater to high-spending travellers who come in large numbers from around the world; the delegates stay in hotels, deal with travel agents and travel by air. They take arranged pre- or post-conference tours to sites of interest. They shop and go to the souq (market) -- both traditional and modern. In short, this new kind of tourism is in vogue, and is providing a major contribution to the economy of host nations.
There is nothing Egypt doesn't know about tourists -- it has been hosting them for well over two thousand years. So how does it compare with other destinations which have established themselves as major conference tourism centres -- Morocco, South Africa, Turkey, Israel and Dubai?
Although a relatively new passenger on the bandwagon, Egypt has a great deal to offer, not least of which is a professional, well-equipped central exhibition centre, the Cairo International Conference Centre (CICC). Built in the early 1990s, CICC has already hosted hundreds of events: conferences, exhibitions, fashion shows, festivals, concerts and more. Other towns and resorts in Egypt also have facilities for large and small conventions. Indeed, hotels and tourist villages all over the country are equipped with conference and exhibition halls for organisers who want to conduct business in leisurely surroundings.
According to ambassador Salah Selim, chairman of the executive board of the CICC, international conference centres around the world are diversifying activities. "They are not confined to meetings and trade fairs. They have a full annual agenda, including recitals, concerts and artistic events," he told Al-Ahram Weekly. "The minister of tourism inaugurated the Cairo International Song Festival [in 1995], and it has been held annually at the CICC under the ministry's sponsorship. This festival is held in August, so it coincides with the influx of Arab travellers to Egypt," he said.
Egypt is now preparing for the 7th Song Festival from 20 to 28 August. It has engendered much interest from overseas. "The festival is now acknowledged by the FIDOF (Féderation Internationale de l'Organisation des Festivals), an international organisation, the president of which will himself head the festival's jury," Selim said. "We are attracting renowned artists, such as India's popular singer Shiamak Davar and his troupe of 20 dancers; a Cuban troupe -- Seleccion Latina -- of 12 dancers and a Greek performer, Bessy Argyraki." Since 25 per cent of the travellers in Egypt are from the Arab World and Gulf countries, performances are given by popular Arab singers, including Mohamed Abduh, Kazem El-Saher, Mohamed Tharwat, Ahlam and Nadia Mustafa.
In 1998, the Song Festival attracted 7,000 visitors, who spent 54,000 tourist nights in Egypt. In 1999, 7,500 visitors spent 57,000 tourist nights. Last year, it attracted 8,100, who spent 55,000 tourist nights. "Travellers spend almost $130 for each tourist night, so this is great for the economy," Selim said.
"We are naturally concerned about expenses. Yes, we get mega-stars, but we get them through activating cultural agreements with other countries. Sometimes we make personal arrangements with the singers themselves, as happened with Davar. He was prepared to sing without a fee in return for being allowed to shoot a video clip on the Giza Plateau. For other superstars, a private artistic organisation rents the conference facilities from us and organises the concerts from A to Z," he said.
Summer is the low season for hotels, so some establishments are prepared to provide accommodation. The Sonesta is offering 20 free rooms, the Mövenpick 15, and Salam Swissotel and Baron hotels seven rooms each. EgyptAir, the national carrier is giving discounts and some free tickets. Many artists come with family members. "The Indian singer, for instance, is bringing seven relatives, and he will pay for their travel and accommodation," Selim said.
Trends are changing. "Imagine, German travellers who are avid enthusiasts for ancient culture are now also looking at concert and recital schedules," Selim said.
There is strong competition between Egypt and such countries as Italy, Spain, Dubai and Morocco when it comes to conference and exhibition tourism. Selim argues, however, that what Egypt has to offer is "unmatchable," not only because of its cultural heritage, beaches and recreational tourism, but also because it can offer conferees and exhibitors a unique choice of destinations.
The CICC currently hosts about 45 exhibitions annually. Each lasts, on average, for four days, excluding the days to prepare and dismantle. A new exhibition hall is being built to cope with the increasing demand.
Three major events are lined up for the future: an international conference for ear, nose and throat specialists in October, to which 6,000 delegates are expected; the conference of the Association of British Travel Agencies (ABTA) scheduled for 2002, at which 5,000 are expected; and a mega-conference in 2004 for the International Telecommunications Union, for which a 17,000-square-metre space has been completely booked.
There are large conference halls in Media City, affiliated to the Ministry of Information in the 6th of October City, and in Mirage City in New Cairo. "However, these are not our competitors. On the contrary, we complement each other," Selim said. "It is nice for one country to have all these conference facilities. Naturally, not all conferences require a large space. Small numbers of up to 150 delegates will find suitable facilities in many of the larger hotels."
Marketing is important. CICC facilities are being promoted in various ways: a new brochure to be published towards the end of August will give full details of technical facilities and data. There is also a Web site -- www.cicc.egnet.net -- and a CD ROM, all to put Egypt in the forefront of international conference tourism.
Is there an archaeology of the soul?
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