Three Finalists Announced for New Frontiers Awards

Reed Travel Exhibitions, the organizers of ATM 2009, has announced China, Mumbai and Palestine as the top three finalists for the 2009 New Frontiers Awards.
Voted for by industry experts and professionals including global travel and tourism associations, the prestigious award is designed to recognise destinations that make an outstanding contribution to tourism development in the face of staggering adversity.
The solidarity and unyielding spirit of the Chinese who hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics just three months after the Sichuan earthquake - which claimed nearly 70,000 lives, left 18,000 missing and destroyed the homes of 10 million people - undoubtedly warranted a place in the top three.
Mumbai also made the shortlist due to its exceptional resilience and positive contribution to tourism development in the aftermath of November 2008's terrorist attacks. Despite the horrors endured across the city, the defiant response to terror ensured that Mumbai emerged triumphant with businesses remarkably operating as usual within a matter of days. The series of strategic steps taken by India's Tourism Ministry to boost the city's tourism industry also ensured that the impact of the attacks was not as great as was originally feared.
Palestine completed the trio of nominees for its unwavering determination in protecting cultural heritage and generating sustainable tourism initiatives despite the continuing political unrest that has affected the state for so long.  Palestinian tourism authorities are on a mission to improve the destination's image abroad by rebranding the State and restructuring the industry with the aim of making sure local communities benefit from tourism. The winner will be announced during a special awards ceremony at the Arabian Travel Market's annual exhibitors' party, which will be held on 5 May 2008 at The Address, Burj Dubai. Representatives of the winning destination will be invited to attend the special ceremony and rewarded with $10,000 worth of free exhibition space at Arabian Travel Market 2010.