Having successfully hosted the World Opthalmology Congress last year and securing rights to host the 20th Asia Pacific Congress of Cardiology in 2015, Abu Dhabi now hopes to be ranked by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) in the world’s top 50 association meetings destinations in five years. The Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau — a new dedicated, one-stop entity within Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) — will support this ambition by helping forge closer links with the industry and providing financial and non-financial support.
Supportive role
The bureau, through expatriate and Emirati expertise, will provide a range of services to the industry including bid presentation support, delegate generation campaigns, local stakeholder coordination and knowledge and more.
“We will provide free and non-biased assistance and support to professional convention, incentive and exhibition planners, corporations and associations so that they can bid for, win and hold conferences, major business events, business meetings, and congresses in Abu Dhabi,” says Jasem Al Darmaki, Deputy Director General, TCA Abu Dhabi. “Our strategy is to target in-market opportunities that generate incremental business in the short term while building on international relationships for the long term.”
The launch of the new entity follows a detailed economic impact study commissioned by TCA Abu Dhabi that showed 19 per cent of international business events visitors coming to the emirate were international and not resident in the UAE. These visitors spent Dh10,000 per event while domestic visitors spent Dh640. In 2010, the total economic impact of business events on Abu Dhabi was Dh2.4 billion. Besides, studies commissioned by TCA Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre suggest the economic impact from business events in Abu Dhabi is expected to increase by about 7 per cent per annum on average until 2020, based on historic performance.
“The bureau’s formation also demonstrates our recognition of the Mice sector to contribute to Abu Dhabi’s wider tourism aspirations and generate significant economic impact for the destination through increasing visitor numbers, hotel occupancies, flights and other visitor and exhibitor spend,” says Al Darmaki.
Perfect timing
The bureau could not have been founded at a better time. “We have our most competitive room rates ever — a deciding factor for major associations and business event organisers looking to secure a host destination, and our available hotel stock is now well suited to large events. Our distinctive advantages are competitive rates, intelligent pricing, added value and an innovative product,” says Al Darmaki.
For more information on Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau visit http://abudhabi-cb.ae
— GN Focus Report
