Three Mövenpick properties - Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, the Mövenpick Hotel Deira, and the Royal Amwaj Resort & Spa on Palm Jumeirah - have been selected as the host hotels for the 'Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2012.'

The Middle East's premier travel and tourism showcase, ATM will be held at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre from April 30 to May 3 next year.

These properties will officially accommodate the ‘Hosted Buyers’ programme, which includes top decision-makers from the leisure, golf, cruise, medical and meetings sector, as well as selected international press, attending ATM 2012, said event organisers, Reed Travel Exhibitions.

Commenting on the announcement, Mark Walsh, group exhibition director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, said: “ATM is committed to the Middle East as a leading international travel and tourism destination and our partnership with these three hotels represents an ideal opportunity to align one of the region’s most progressive hospitality brands with our unique event platform.”

Ideally located at the gateway to ‘New Dubai’ close to Jebel Ali Freezone and with the dedicated Ibn Battuta Metro station minutes away, the five-star Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, which opened last October, was recently named Best New Business Hotel at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2011.

The 396-room hotel is part of the distinctive Ibn Battuta Gate development, and draws on architectural, décor and culinary influences from the travels of the14th century explorer of the same name.

The hotel boasts an opulent grand lobby, five themed restaurants, a Moroccan bar, as well as Diablo, an up-market night club.

'Due to our location, we are already carving a niche for ourselves through our distinctive architectural style as well as our ‘friendly’ business hotel approach,' said Philippe Bonnot, general manager, Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, managed by Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

'ATM presents an unrivalled opportunity to showcase our facilities and levels of service to a highly influential audience,' he added.

The 293-room Royal Amwaj Resort & Spa, which is due to open in 2012, is situated on the crescent of the Palm Jumeirah.

This five-star Asian-themed retreat features individual water villas set around meandering lagoons and a private beach, and top class restaurants serving Thai, seafood and North American cuisine, an exclusive spa, water sports club and comprehensive banquet facilities.

“The resort will be the first luxury property in the UAE to offer guests a premium all-inclusive option. It’s all about enhancing the guest experience and giving customers the choice to individually tailor their stay,” Bonnot added.

The Mövenpick Hotel Deira, is the latest five-star addition to Dubai’s ‘old town’ skyline. Situated close to Dubai Creek the 216 bedroom hotel which opened in January this year is perfectly located for corporate and leisure visitors alike, in Dubai’s original downtown.

“The combined offering of these three distinctive and very different hotels will allow our hosted buyers and international media guests to get a real sense of the diversity of the tourism product across the Middle East,” said Lucie James, marketing manager, Reed Travel Exhibitions.

“The mutual trade-off in attracting quality buyers and delivering a quality host hotel experience is crucial in driving interest and guaranteeing the attendance of key travel industry players,” she added.-TradeArabia News Service