Dubai Business Events wins major bids in first quarter

Business Bureau, Gulf Today

In partnership with stakeholders across the city, Dubai Business Events (DBE) secured several bids for major meetings, conferences and incentive programmees over the course of the first quarter of the year, winning events that are set to make a significant economic impact on the city. Combined with a busy calendar of activities both in Dubai and around the world, they have helped build on the momentum carried over from last year for the city’s official convention bureau.

The bid wins include the Eastern Mediterranean Optometry Congress (EMCO), which is set to take place in 2020 and attract an estimated 400 delegates, the Geospatial Week taking place in 2021 and is set to bring in 1,000 delegates, the AIPPI World Intellectual Property Congress in 2025, which is set to attract 3,000 delegates to Dubai. As part of its wins, Dubai is also set to host the Roche Diagnostic China, an incentive trip estimated to attract 900 delegates, as well as the India Shoppe Channel Partners incentive trip, with 1,500 delegates in attendance.

Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: “Thanks to combined efforts of stakeholders across the city, Dubai has had a strong start to the year, winning key business events and effectively showcasing its proposition as host city for international business events around the world. The bid wins are a testament to Dubai Business Events’ mission to fully align with the city’s visionary leadership and Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2025. DBE’s strategy underpins the government’s vision by attracting events to build on this momentum and leave a lasting legacy for delegates and the city by positioning Dubai as a premier business events destination. For DBE, this will continue to be our focus as we further partner with stakeholders and engage with business events professionals globally, to identify and pursue opportunities to bid for and secure key events for the city.”

Besides notable bid wins, DBE also successfully hosted a number of inbound study missions, outbound sales roadshows and participated in other activities to further strengthen Dubai’s reputation as a premier business events destination globally. In February, DBE organised and hosted an inbound study mission for event planners and professionals from across Europe, which showcased Dubai’s world-class business event capabilities. Meanwhile in January it hosted a destination wedding study mission, which brought wedding industry professionals from around the world to discover what makes Dubai one of the most attractive destinations for couples to tie the knot. Both itineraries featured immersive experiences that showcased the expanse of Dubai’s venue portfolio. In March, DBE also partnered with Hilton to host their MICE Summit that saw 50 meeting planners from Europe visit Dubai and with Hyatt and 24 Degrees to host a study mission for 30 C-level decision makers and influencers from around the world.

Promoting the destination in key global markets, DBE organised a roadshow across Europe targeting international associations conferences in March. During the roadshow DBE held 6 events across Paris, London, Brussels and Geneva, to engage with new and existing partners in the global business events community, as well as network with association leaders based in Europe.

Furthermore, DBE hosted its annual networking event to recognise members of its Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme, which plays a crucial role in defining Dubai as a knowledge hub and a leading business events destination. During the event, 22 organisations were presented with trophies from Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai Tourism. The awards event was hosted to highlight the significant work that ambassadors do to help secure business event wins for the city. Over 150 ambassadors attended the event, including doctors, scientists, industry experts, business leaders and government officials from across the city.

Looking ahead to the second quarter of the year, DBE has several study missions, sales missions, and trade events as part of its calendar of activities, in addition to IMEX Frankfurt and The Meetings Show in London. Both events will serve as a powerful platform for DBE to further educate meeting planners and event organisers about the city’s attractive business event capabilities, as well as new developments in Dubai’s competitive business events sector.

It may be noted that Dubai Business Events – the Official Convention Bureau, aims at further developing and increasing Dubai’s share of the international business events market in order to grow economic development, jobs and knowledge creation in the emirate.

DBE’s main goal, as a division of Dubai Tourism, is to establish the Emirate as a premier business event destination by helping organizers of international meetings, incentives, congresses and exhibitions plan and manage every aspect of their event. As a member of BestCities Global Alliance DBE aim to deliver the world’s best service experience for the meeting industry.

With the ultimate vision of positioning Dubai as the world’s leading tourism destination and commercial hub, Dubai Tourism’s mission is to increase the awareness of Dubai among global audiences and to attract tourists and inward investment into the emirate.