Millennium Hotels and Resorts Middle East and Africa (MHR MEA) kicked off the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai with its Chelsea Football Club (FC) partnership.

Visitors and exhibitors to the travel and tourism event were treated to an exclusive “Meet and Greet” with Chelsea FC’s Tore Andre Flo. The football legend, who is a member of Chelsea’s coaching staff, was part of the team as a forward from 1997 to 2000, where he was top scorer and helped the team win the 2000 FA Cup (Football Association Challenge Cup). A Norwegian, he also represented Norway from 1995 to 2004, and is one of the country’s highest goal scorers.

Flo’s visit to the United Arab Emirates is part of MHR’s exclusive three-year global partnership with Chelsea FC. Members of the My Millennium rewards programme and corporate customers have access to once-in-a-lifetime football experiences, such as hospitality box access at Stamford Bridge stadium, and meet and greet experiences with the players.

At the Arabian Travel Market, MHR MEA also signed partnerships with leading names in the industry. They signed a strategic partnership with Oman Tourism and Oman Convention Bureau to promote the Sultanate as a key leisure and MICE (meetings, incentives, conference and exhibitions) destination.

It also entered into a partnership with low-cost airline flydubai, and online travel platform lastminute.com.

The Arabian Travel Market is an international travel and tourism exhibition for the Middle East held in Dubai. It was first established in 1994, and today attracts over 2,500 exhibitors from 153 countries and 28,000 visitors.