Dubai: The Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (Depe), an agency under the Dubai Department of Economic Development, has unveiled a new sponsorship strategy beginning 2011 where organisations and business entities can collaborate with Depe as a strategic partner, key sponsor, support sponsor, or an event sponsor.
While strategic partners will cooperate with Depe through the year, key sponsors and support sponsors will be associated with specific festivals. With the new plan, commercial entities will be able to sponsor particular events as well.
Laila Suhail, Chief Executive Officer of Depe, said the new approach to the sponsorship structure was aligned to the future vision of Depe.
"The Government of Dubai has envisioned a larger scope of functioning for Dubai Events and we required a novel approach to the existing sponsorship system. While each sponsorship category carries specific benefits, the category outline also means that we have more lead time in planning events which is crucial to the success of our festivals. We hope that this move will streamline our efforts in achieving our targets in the coming years."
Suhail stressed on the robust cooperation between the private and the public sector saying it had played an instrumental role in the success of festivals from the very first edition of Dubai Shopping Festival in 1996.
"The private sector plays a significant part in organizing events and as much as 70 per cent of the events come from the private sector. The Dubai Government's role, through Depe, is to plan, promote, and market these events in addition to providing a platform," she said.
"Depe' festivals and events make the festivals industry that contributes considerably to Dubai's economy and sectors such as travel, tourism, and retail. Dubai Events has implemented a successful plan that highlights the shopping promotions and attractions of Dubai and the new sponsorship strategy is a renewed opportunity for retailers and private sector entities to be part of an ever expanding industry," Suhail said.
