Dubai: The other emirates in the UAE are catching up with heavyweights like Dubai and Abu Dhabi by ramping up efforts to get a slice of the business segment of the tourism market.
Hotels in Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Sharjah are increasingly being marketed as places where business travellers can attend conferences, which are mostly on a small scale, according to industry experts at the MICE [meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions] Arabia Congress in Dubai on Sunday.
“Now [hotels] are going to international exhibitions and talking about their properties. That means they are investing more money in marketing, so there is a focus on this type of business,” said Latit Khemani, general manager at Sat Suru Travels in Dubai.
Some of the hotels already have good meeting facilities, said Ahmad Talaat, director of sales for the Middle East and Africa at hotel chain Dusit International.
“There is so much focus on Dubai. But I think the trend this year will go towards other emirates because MICE clients would like to discover new destinations,” he said.
MICE activities account for 30-35 per cent of the company’s revenue in the UAE, he said.
However, if these emirates want to reach the ranks of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, they will need to do a number of things. For one, they will need to boost their meeting facilities such as creating a conference and exhibition centre.
“They need the infrastructure to attract these incentive groups and visitors and strong support from government entities,” said Christopher Hewett, senior consultant at TRI Consulting.
Some of the hotels will need to boost their inventory to accommodate a large number of business travellers, according to Khemani.
The UAE’s MICE industry is driven by its good infrastructure and air connectivity, he said.
“The infrastructure is getting better and it is getting easier to travel now,” he said.
He expects the industry to grow by 7-10 per cent in 2015 over the previous year, although he did not indicate its value.
