Dubai’s growing business events sector, a key contributor to the emirate’s economy, was showcased to an audience of international meetings industry professionals at IBTM World held Nov. 27-29 in Barcelona. Dubai Business Events, the city’s official convention bureau, kicked off its participation along with partners and stakeholders at the annual tradeshow as well.
With more than 15,000 industry professionals in attendance, IBTM World, held annually at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, is one of the largest and most significant trade events globally. The 2018 edition of IBTM World served as a global platform for DBE to showcase Dubai’s latest offerings for the business events industry, which directly contributes to the overall growth and strength of the city’s economy and global knowledge exchange ambitions. DBE’s presence at IBTM World is a part of a year-round calendar of activities aimed at engaging with the wider global meetings community.
DBE was joined by 27 co-exhibitors from across Dubai, including hotels, venues, attractions, airlines and destination management companies. Key partners and stakeholders present alongside DBE at IBTM World last year: Emirates Airline, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Dubai World Trade Center and Expo 2020 Dubai.
Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for tourism and commerce marketing, says, “The business events industry plays a crucial role in our efforts to further transform Dubai into a global knowledge hub. Events such as IBTM World are a key part of realizing this ambition. They also make a significant contribution to the emirate’s economy, bringing visitors from around the world, often experiencing Dubai for the first time. The ability to showcase the city’s world-class business event offerings and infrastructure engage with global meeting industry professionals, as well as our commitment to the growth of the industry, makes for yet another successful participation in Barcelona.”
DBE’s participation at IBTM World followed from the success of the 57th annual ICCA Congress, which was held last month for the first time in Dubai and the region, attracted Congress more than 1,150 senior meetings, industry professionals and association planners from more than 75 countries, expanding Dubai as a hub for business events in world-class meeting facilities.
As part of DBE’s strengthened presence at IBTM World, the convention bureau met with existing and future partners from around the world, and hosted a networking event. They offered attendees a unique opportunity for deeper engagement with key Dubai stakeholders. At the trade event, DBE also highlighted its key achievements and activities in 2018, which included the study missions and site inspections hosted in the city, along with the year round calendar of roadshows and activation around the world, including at other major tradeshows.
Earlier this year, DBE announced strong results for the first half of 2018, which secured 125 business events in the first six months of the year, set to attract more than 65,000 delegates to Dubai from around the world, with an expected economic impact of approximately AED 500 million. The secured number of business events reflects a 29 percent increase from the same period in the previous year.
Dubai Business Events, the official convention bureau, aims to further develop and increase 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, they aim to deliver the world’s best service experience for the meeting industry. For more info, visit https://www.visitdubai.com/en/business-in-dubai.
