Business & Money | Tuesday 17 March, 2015 1:42 am |

Arabian Travel Market awards scheme recognises Asian nations as their tourism sectors prevail in the face of overwhelming adversity after being struck by devastating natural disasters
Arabian Travel Market (ATM) has revealed the 2015 shortlist for its annual New Frontiers Recovery Awards, with three Asian nations nominated for this year’s award, which will be announced at ATM live on ARN, Thursday afternoon, 7th May.
The shortlisted destinations Japan, Nepal and India have been recognised for dealing with the dual trauma of significant human and economic losses in the last 12 months due to devastating natural catastrophes, their effect on local tourism and their remarkable efforts to recover.
“On a humanitarian level we are all obliged to assist those nations suffering the consequences of a natural disaster, the effects which can be devastating,” explains Nadege Noblet, Exhibition Manager, Arabian Travel Market.
“The tourism industry is unique in that it not only experiences the direct consequences of a natural disaster, but it is also able to highlight a country’s plight to a broader international audience. The New Frontiers Recovery Award, which is now in its 11th year, highlights and recognises the efforts made by nations, to rebuild and recover, after suffering from an environmental catastrophe.”
The New Frontiers Recovery Award was created in 2005 to recognise outstanding contributions to tourism development in the face of overwhelming adversity, supporting the chosen destination by donating exhibition space at the event to the value of US$10,000.
As well as physical rebuilding, the award also focuses on the strategic redevelopment of a destination as nations seek to repair market confidence and attract tourism back to the region.
“After the immediate requirement for humanitarian relief, primarily shelter and medical services support, the priority is to assist the affected governments to reposition their countries on the international tourism stage,” added Noblet. “Support to tourism authorities and associated businesses is essential and ATM provides a unique opportunity and platform to communicate the challenges and successes of deserving nominees.”
Previous award recipients include Phuket, Thailand; Cancun, Mexico; Sichuan, China; Baluchistan, Pakistan; and Central Visayas, Philippines.
The 2015 nominees have all had to repair, rebuild and recover, with efforts ongoing in some destinations.
Japan – Mount Ontake eruption. The Japanese island of Honshu saw the first fatal volcanic disaster since 1991 take place when the island’s Mount Ontake erupted on September 27th, 2014. Around 250 residents were trapped on the slopes of Mount Ontake, with 69 reported injured from gas inhalation and impact of rocks, resulting in 48 deaths. It was the deadliest volcanic eruption in Japan since 1902. Japan’s military deployed over 1,000 troops as well as rescue services.
India – landslide, Malin. A landslide on July 30th, 2014, struck sleeping residents in the village of Malin, burying 44 houses and resulting in 151 deaths – almost half the population of the village. Despite rescue services sending up to 100 ambulances and 7 JCBs to dig for survivors, poor road conditions and continuing rain hampered efforts. Tourism to the area fell by almost 50%, resulting in severe loss of business.
Nepal – Sunkoshi River landslide. Heavy rainfall resulted in a landslide at the Sunkoshi River on August 4th, 2014, resulting in 156 deaths and hundreds of families being removed from the affected area. The landslide blocked the river and created an artificial lake in Sindhupalchok District, and 400,000 residents had to be evacuated from their homes. Nepalese authorities are looking to conduct a controlled explosion to drain the flood waters. Meanwhile, the travel and tourism industry in Nepal has come to a virtual standstill due to the danger of flooding.
For more information on The New Frontiers Recovery Award, please go to www.arabiantravelmarket.com
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About Arabian Travel Market
In its 21st edition, Arabian Travel Market 2014, boasted more than 2,700 exhibitors and stand-sharers from 85 countries and attracted over 23,000 visitors from around the world.
www.arabiantravelmarket.com

Arabian Travel Market is part of Reed Travel Exhibition’s WTM Portfolio of events, which also includes World Travel Market, World Travel Market Latin America and World Travel Market Africa.
www.wtmworld.com

WTM Portfolio
The World Travel Market Portfolio comprises the leading leisure travel events in the world; World Travel Market in London, WTM Latin America in Sao Paulo, WTM Africa in Cape Town and Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.

The WTM Portfolio’s events are attended by the global travel and tourism industry’s senior executives to conduct business deals and discover the latest research, insight and opinion. In 2014, the WTM Portfolio facilitated around $7 billion in industry deals from negotiations between the more than 15,000 buyers, 9,500 exhibitors (1,500 main stand holders and 8,000 stand sharers) in attendance of its four events.

WTM is owned by the worldʼs leading events organiser Reed Exhibitions.

Reed Exhibitions
WTM Portfolio is part of Reed Travel Exhibitions, which is owned by the worldʼs leading events organiser Reed Exhibitions (RE).

In 2014, RE held more than 500 events in 40 countries bringing together more than six million people from around the world generating billions of dollars in business.


The YouGov Travel Oracle is an annual syndicated online study of consumer habits and attitudes towards travel and tourism. YouGov surveyed 22,686 online respondents across the MENA region between 7th August and 8th September 2014. Data is broadly representative of the population in MENA.