Program recognizes initiatives led by UAE pros in driving Dubai’s growth as a premier business events destination
Dubai Business Events, Dubai’s official convention bureau, honored members of its ‘Al Safeer’ program for their efforts in helping to bring international conferences and events to the city, at its annual Congress Ambassador Networking event on March 1.
The event, which took place at the Conrad Hotel in Dubai, brought together over 200 ambassadors, including prominent doctors, scientists, businessmen and government officials from across the Emirate. The event paid tribute to 45 high-profile individuals and organizations for their outstanding performance in attracting and hosting international conferences and business events in Dubai, championing the city’s Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions industry and fortifying its position as a premier business events destination.
Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), said: “We are extremely pleased to be hosting this event again to honor the Al Safeer program ambassadors who share our vision to drive global knowledge exchange and foster thought leadership. We have seen great results from the program and are confident that it will help us to continue to position Dubai as a premier host city for international conferences and events. As Dubai and the UAE transition towards a knowledge economy, international meetings and events play a vital role in demonstrating the scale of our ambition in finding solutions to worldwide challenges, the diversity of our economy, and our keenness to collaborate.”
During the event, DBE reflected on a year of success and growth for the business events industry, providing an update on key highlights from 2016, outlining the bureau’s plans of attracting and hosting international conferences in Dubai in 2017 and highlighting the key role that the Al Safeer Program ambassadors play.
Commenting on the event, Steen Jakobsen, director of Dubai Business Events, added: “The Al Safeer Programme consists of a powerful network of inspiring individuals, both UAE Nationals and expatriates working in Dubai, who are advocates for Dubai’s business events industry. The programme galvanises their competencies and allows them to leverage the impartial services provided by DBE to bid for and ultimately bring the full spectrum of business events in their field to Dubai. This has enabled us to drive the growth of business tourism in Dubai and maintain its position as a top conference destination on a global scale.”
Translating to ‘The Ambassador,’ the Al Safeer Congress Ambassadors Program was established by DBE in 2010 with the aim to engage Dubai based scientists, business professionals and organizations and tap on their expertise and connections to identify and attract conferences and meetings to Dubai. Al Safeer Ambassadors range from pioneering subject matter experts and leading academics to innovative surgeons and prominent people in UAE business who are committed to driving awareness about Dubai as a thriving business events destination and global knowledge hub.
In 2016, the Program recruited over 200 new ambassadors, increasing the network to over 350 industry leaders, professionals from various fields and sectors. Through the network members’ relations to international institutions and associations, DBE assisted with and managed 52 bids for international conferences, of which 25 were won. Notable wins included Congress of the Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology Annual Congress 2017, World Congress of Cardiology 2018 and World Down Syndrome Congress 2020.
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