Business events, conferences, meetings and exhibitions are are very important part of tourism growth in Dubai. Dubai Business Events is a division of the Dubai Department of Tourism and we are responsible for promoting and selling Dubai as a destination for business events. Dubai has a very ambitious vision to welcome 20 million visitors by 2020 and was on its way to reaching the target during 2014. Mr Steen Jakobsen, Director of Business Events, a Dubai’s Divison of Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing spoke about the strategic plan to develop the Business Event and Tourism industry of Dubai.
In order to grow Dubai as a destination for international and business events, we have spent the majority of 2014 in creating and raising Dubai’s brand as a destination. Our main focus is on three areas, one is to grow Dubai’s share o international rotating meetings and conferences, the second is to develop and grow new regional conferences – and the third area is to grow the number of visitors attending business events id Dubai.
Mr Jakoben explained, “One of the newer things we have been [during] 2014 was forming a number of strategic alliances and partnerships with industry organisations and associations. So we have formed a strategic partnership with IAPCO (International Association of PCO’s) and recently signed an strategic partnership agreement with PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association), in order to tap into the very important and growing market in North America (and globally) of international meeting planners.”
Mr Jakobsen went on to say that during EIBTM 2014, more than 45 co-exhibitors joined Dubai Business Events at their stand, “ – This was probably the largest delegation of business event suppliers that we have ever taken with us to an international trade show – the support and cooperation with all the stakeholders in Dubai is absolutely vital for us to develop and keep growing Dubai as a business events destination.”
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