Dubai leads recovery in business events
Dubai Tourism discusses plans to host exhibitions, conferences
Dubai has been able to lead the way globally not only in wider tourism recovery, but also in the restart of business events and conferences, the chief of Dubai Tourism said yesterday.
The comments from Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director-General of Dubai Tourism, came during the latest quarterly meetings of its Business Events and Exhibitions Committees, providing industry stakeholders with updates on restarting and scaling up events since their resumption in September.
“Guided by the city’s prudent leadership over the past year, Dubai has been able to lead the way globally not only in wider tourism recovery, but specifically in the restart of business events. Thanks to the efforts of our stakeholders across the sector, the momentum we built at the end of 2020 has gathered pace this year, with strong optimism for the coming months to further leverage our status as one of the few cities globally to be safely hosting business events of all sizes,” Al Marri said.
The momentum we built at the end of 2020 has gathered pace this year, with strong optimism for the coming months.”
Series of townhalls
Helal Saeed Al Marri | Director-General, Dubai Tourism
Held virtually to maximise attendance during Ramadan, the two meetings were part of a series of meetings and townhalls that Dubai Tourism has hosted throughout the global pandemic to both keep stakeholders updated on all stages of the recovery and obtain their inputs on various issues.
Discussing the roadmap for the sector, participants at the event highlighted the positive impact Dubai is having on the global stage, the strong prospects for hosting more major business events, and the growing confidence among stakeholders.
Line-up of events
With events such as Arabian Travel Market, Arab Health, International Astronautical Congress and Society of Petroleum Engineers Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition lined up, the next few months will prove to be crucial for Dubai’s tourism and MICE industry.
Of course, the biggest event on the immediate horizon for the city is Expo 2020 Dubai – for which the city has already signaled that it’s ready to welcome the world. “As the countdown towards Expo 2020 Dubai continues, business events are playing a vital role in attracting more visitors and showcasing this as a safe city for international gatherings, and also in recapturing economic growth across all economic sectors,” Al Marri said.
“We remain attuned to the needs of our stakeholders as we continue on our path and welcome their input, collaboration and expertise,” he added.