Dubai’s business events business booms in H1 2018
Dubai won 125 successful bids to host business events in the first half of 2018, up 29 percent year on year.
Conferences, meetings and incentive programmes secured by the city’s official convention bureau, Dubai Business Events (DBE), are expected to attract more than 65,000 delegates from around the world, delivering an economic impact of approximately US$136.14 million.
“Dubai’s success in attracting an increasing number of business events is a testament to the city’s ability, across the public and private sectors, to coalesce together to position it on a global stage,” said Issam Kazim, chief executive officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing.
“Dubai Business Events has worked closely with stakeholders to ensure the city is able to optimise its bidding opportunities, highlighting not only the tourism and events infrastructure, but also the knowledge exchange possibilities in Dubai.”
Dubai has secured a raft of new business events in recent months, including Pro-Health China Incentive (2019), World Chamber Congress (2021), International Congress for the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (2021), World Congress of Gastroenterology (2021), as well as Asia Pacific Congress of Cardiology (2023).
DBE representatives have attended more than 70 trade events showcasing Dubai’s business events offering and services to more than 9,000 international meetings, events, and incentives industry professionals. It also facilitated 14 site inspections for 30 clients, hosted four in-depth study missions for 136 hosted buyers and organised three roadshows in key markets across Europe, South East Asia, and North America, attracting more than 400 business events planners.
The roadshows acted as a platform to promote the city’s capabilities and DBE’s services to key decision makers.
“The growth in bid wins in the first half of 2018 is a strong demonstration of the positive reception globally to Dubai’s business events proposition,” said DBE Director Steen Jakobsen.
He also spoke of “an exciting set of initiatives and activities planned for the remainder of the year”, including bringing more meetings industry professionals to the city, “to show them Dubai’s latest developments and capabilities”.