Dubai forms new committee to boost MICE sector

Saturday, September 19, 2020

The Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing recently formed a new Business Events Stakeholders Committee in a time when the city has started gathering momentum with the resumption of conferences, meetings and exhibitions. The latest action further establishes the body’s commitment to engaging with the industry and re-establishing its place at the heart of the economic growth and development of the city as a knowledge hub.

The committee will comprise of key industry stakeholders who will meet regularly throughout the year, and provide a platform for two-way dialogue around the continuous strategic and operational development of the competitive position of Dubai as a host city for international business events. Senior officials from airlines, venues, hotels, destination management companies and professional congress organisers graced the inaugural session with their presence.

Organisations represented included Emirates, Dubai World Trade Centre, Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts, Alpha Destination Management, MCI Middle East and Expo 2020 Dubai. The industry is looking forward to rapidly and safely rescale itself enabled by clear guidelines from Dubai Tourism and an aligned approach taken by stakeholders across the public and private sectors with local business events already starting from September 15 and international business events set to return from October 1.

A set of guidelines organisers and venues have already been provided ahead of the resumption of business events this month in order to that prioritise the health and safety of all parties involved, while at the same time facilitating the meetings, conversations, networking and learning opportunities that attendees seek. The latest guidelines complement the measures already in place across other touchpoints across the city, including airports, hotels, attractions and dining establishments that have already opened for business.

Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, chaired the inaugural meeting of the committee earlier at Dubai World Trade Centre, updating members on the latest progress in reactivating the sector in the aftermath of the global COVID-19 pandemic and facilitating discussions around opportunities and challenges. He said in his statement that Dubai has steadily reopened key economic sectors, building on the support that was provided throughout the pandemic and the measures put in place to minimise its impact.

He informed that authorities have been working closely with industry stakeholders to ensure that a framework is in place to resume business events that can be best-in-class while at the same time prioritising the health and safety of all participants. He also mentioned that the formation of the committee underlines the collaborative approach that has been undertaken take across all activities and to all the tourism sub-sectors, and reinforce the commitment to supporting stakeholders and ensuring that Dubai leads the global post-pandemic recovery.

He added that business events play a critical role in driving economic development and knowledge growth in Dubai and, with the city’s status as the Middle East’s undisputed hub for conferences, exhibitions and meetings, the resumption of activity will have an impact on the wider region.

« Back to Page

• International Passenger Numbers in Perth Airport Have Rebounded to Pre-Covid Levels

• Explore the enchantment of our sugar bush: A journey into maple syrup magic

• Siargao’s tourist arrivals surge, marks stellar growth in Philippines

• Interview with Ahmad Al-Hmoud of the Jordan Tourism Board at FITUR

• AIME 2024 marks 63 per cent increase in exhibitors from previous year