ROME-After an absence of three years, Regione Lazio has returned to the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai to showcase its offerings to the Gulf area market. The present Tourism administration of Lazio decided to join the 2014 ATM since it strongly believes that it is possible to increase the flow of tourists from the Gulf countries to the Lazio region.

 This belief is supported by the excellent flight connections existing between the Arab countries and Italy, and in particular, as an example, the many direct flights from Dubai to Rome, as well as the launch on July 15 of the new flights Abu Dhabi – Rome operated by Etihad Airways.

 Moreover, certain airlines have shown an interest in increasing the frequency of these flights even further, thus supporting the positive trend of tourist flow between the UAE and Italy.

 The increase in the economic and commercial relationship between Rome and the Arab Countries developed over the last years has brought an increase in business travelers and has fostered a major interest in discovering Rome and its region.

 A survey conducted by the Italian Observatory of Tourism showed that, in general, Arab travelers return to their countries with very positive feedback of their visit; they are positively affected by Italian hospitality, life style, the temperate climate of Lazio and its gastronomy. All these aspects, very much appreciated by the business travelers, encourage and facilitate the growth of leisure tourism. There is a flow of those who return to the Lazio region to deepen their previous short experience, with the goal of further exploring opportunities for shopping, sports (i.e. golf), unique adventures such as driving a Ferrari in the city of Rome, relaxing in the many elegant spas, and learning about the ancient history and art of the Roman Empire.

 Lazio Region showcased, within the ENIT space, all these attractions and more at ATM 2014 with the support of six tour operators, three lodging facilities and a tourist ground transportation operator, confident in awakening the interest of local operators and future travelers.

 To further promote its territory, the Lazio Region, in collaboration with ENIT (Italian State Tourist Board) and Alitalia organized a prize draw for a Rome tourist package at the event.

 The participation in the event in the UAE coincided with the launch of the new information portal and promotion of the regional tourism http://www.visitlazio.com/en_GB/home