Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau, has reported strong results for the first half of 2017, with 97 bids submitted to host business events being successfully awarded to the city. The events secured since January, including conferences, exhibitions, meetings and incentive trips, are poised to attract over 51,636 delegates from around the world, resulting in an expected economic impact of approximately AED 375 million.
Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: “Dubai has grown tremendously to become a leading destination for international business events. We recognise the significance of the business events industry, and acknowledge the various growth facets each event brings to the city. Not only do they accelerate our journey towards becoming a knowledge-sharing economy, but business events are also major contributors towards our goal of welcoming 20 million visitors each year by 2020.”
In the first six months, Dubai Business Events won a total of 97 pitches to host business events in the city, and is currently awaiting verdict on 97 more that have been submitted. Key wins include: Baby Care Annual Incentive (2018), World Conference on Desalination and Water Re-Use (2019), and Congress of the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (2022).
Steen Jakobsen, Director of Dubai Business Events, said: “We’ve had a stellar start to the year, and are well on our way to achieving our targets set for 2017. As we continue to work towards further strengthening Dubai’s reputation of being a premier host destination for business events, we have a steady pipeline of initiatives planned for the year ahead. We are also focusing on expanding our network and reach globally, enabling businesses, event buyers and planners to benefit from our expertise.”
