ADNEC delivers exceptional growth, adds Dhs2.4b to Abu Dhabi economy

Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC), a subsidiary of ADQ, announced its achievements for 2021, with the value of its direct and indirect impact on the Abu Dhabi economy in 2021 registering at Dhs2.4 billion.

During 2021, The Group made significant investments and expanded its mandate to the leisure tourism sector, which contributed to a strategic approach to diversifying the portfolio.

“2021 was an exemplary year for the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company, as we achieved a number of major successes and milestones, cementing our position at the forefront of the business tourism industry. ADNEC continues to support the promotion of Abu Dhabi as the region’s pioneering business tourism hub, through hosting leading international exhibitions and conferences,” said Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNEC.

“Our success is a testament to the dedicated and committed teams who constantly strive to elevate the company’s standard of excellence, flexibility and adopting best practices, at both local and international levels. Together, with our partners, we have overcome unprecedented challenges in recent years and look forward to a bright future ahead, as we continue to evolve our business throughout the recovery phase of the global pandemic and navigate a pathway to sustained success.” In 2021, ADNEC, in collaboration with SEHA, continued to be a key player in delivering critical support for Abu Dhabi and the UAE in mitigating the impact of COVID-19.

Throughout 2021, ADNEC also launched Tourism 365, to create experiential travel opportunities for tourists coming to Abu Dhabi, and to enhance the emirate’s regional and global position in the wider tourism sector.

Tourism 365 aims to increase leisure visitors, enhance guest experiences and extend tourists’ stays in the UAE’s capital. The new company consists of Capital Experience, a high-quality destination management company, and Capital Travel, a premium travel operator.

ADNEC continued its growth with the acquisition of Etihad Airport Services Catering and Etihad Holidays. Etihad Airport Services Catering united with ADNEC’s catering arm Capital Hospitality, while Etihad Holidays joined ADNEC’s tourism promotion business, Tourism 365, further augmenting ADNEC’s long-term investment strategy.

The acquisition of the companies is part of the Company’s strategic efforts to boost the UAE’s tourism sectors, given ADNEC’s extensive experience and capabilities across both the hospitality and tourism industry.

2021 also saw ADNEC receive 9 prestigious international awards, further showcasing the Company’s proven efforts in excellence and innovation and highlighting important work around sustainable development and innovative projects. These awards are another milestone that strengthens ADNEC’s global position.

Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company has announced recently that 40 per cent of construction work on the biggest exhibition hall in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has been completed.

This hall, the first of its kind in the region, is being built on a space of 1,0000 square metres in the Marina area, opposite the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, overlooking the waterfront, with work proceeding at a fast pace, two weeks ahead of the set timeframe.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of ADNEC, visited the site and inspected the progress being made on the hall that is scheduled to open in October 2022.

Al Dhaheri said, “Construction work on the new hall, which is the first of its kind in the region, is progressing at a rapid pace, and it will become a valuable asset to ADNEC. It will support efforts to consolidate Abu Dhabi’s position as a global destination for business tourism and leisure tourism. Additionally, it will contribute to consolidating ADNEC’s standing as a major and influential player in the business tourism sector by enhancing our ability to host and organise more special and major international exhibitions and events in all fields.”

Ahmed Al Mansoori, Director of Engineering Services at ADNEC, said, “The new hall is fitting for the high standing of ADNEC in the tourism and business sectors. Its global style provides a wide and distinctive array of facilities, services and advanced infrastructure and equipment. The hall is built using a solid metal frame covered in aluminium plates to provide flexibility with the ability to host events of various scales and types in all fields.”

The construction of the new multi-purpose hall is in line with ADNEC’s plan for diversifying its portfolio and developing its centres. This will help provide additional economic and social revenues for the tourism sector in Abu Dhabi.

WAM