"Oman and Zanzibar complement each other through their shared history": Adeline Kurban Fiana, KTS France-Aya Désirs d'Orient

Your agency specialises in the Middle East...

Adeline Kurban Fiani - And not just that. We also cover the Indian Ocean; the Seychelles, Maldives, Mauritius, Zanzibar... And we also have countries like Uzbekistan and Armenia.

It would seem that when it comes to MICE, the trend is towards combined...

A. K. F. - I can confirm this, particularly where top-of-the-range groups are concerned. I'm sure that in these regions, this type of trip, I'd say "with a stopover", will develop. For example, Dubai or Oman with an extension to the Maldives, the Seychelles, Mauritius or Zanzibar. We're getting more and more requests.

Have you ever organised an Oman-Zanzibar combination?

A. K. F. - A full house. For 2014, I've already booked three groups for this combined event. They are professionals from the medical, automotive and construction sectors. I've also got some bankers lined up... These are groups of around forty people, which is perfect for this type of destination. Beyond that, it becomes difficult to manage, especially in Zanzibar.

Why Oman and Zanzibar?

A. K. F. - Because this type of customer has already travelled a lot, they've practically visited the planet... So we need to find new destinations that surprise them. In that sense, this combination is perfect, but it's designed more for sophisticated, cultured people. These two destinations complement each other perfectly, if only because of their shared history. They are not the opposites of each other that Dubai and Mauritius would be.

How would you describe them?

A. K. F. - Oman is all about light, sublime landscapes and a great culture. You can be in a 4×4 in the desert in the morning, bathing in the wadis in the afternoon and in full dress at the opera in the evening. Zanzibar is less direct, more mysterious, there's a real atmosphere on this island.

And in terms of infrastructure, are the facilities sufficient?

A. K. F. - For Oman, there's no problem, they have everything you need. For Zanzibar, there are resorts outside the town that can accommodate very large groups, but above all there are some truly magical boutique hotels in Stone Town itself. Which is perfect for small, very upmarket seminars. Just perfect.