Dubai’s business events sector continues to build on its momentum as one of the first cities in the world to reopen for international meetings, with a busy calendar of high profile conferences, meetings and incentives on the horizon through the rest of 2021 and into 2022.
Following on from the resumption of international tourism to the city in July 2020, Dubai welcomed international business events from October 2020 and immediately saw a healthy pipeline of conferences and exhibitions taking place across the city. With meeting planners recognising Dubai’s ability to safely host events and its prudent handling of the global Covid-19 pandemic, that is now poised to continue in the second half of 2021, through the hosting of Expo 2020 Dubai and into the rest of 2022.
With Expo 2020 Dubai commencing on 1 October and lasting six months, the city is poised to welcome a number of major corporate and incentive groups that will be looking to take advantage of the opportunity to allow delegates to experience and explore the world’s greatest show during their time in the city. The Dubai Exhibition Centre within the Expo 2020 site will also host a number of important conferences and events, including the Dubai Association Conference.
To build on this momentum Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau, continues to engage with meeting planners internationally, face-to-face where possible, highlighting the city’s business events infrastructure and rapidly developing knowledge economy. Over the coming months, DBE will host a number of study missions to the city, especially during Expo 2020 Dubai, allowing meeting and event planners to see offerings around the city and experience one of the world’s largest events. Meanwhile, DBE’s global team will also meet planners in their own markets through a series of sales missions, industry events and trade shows.
Steen Jakobsen, Assistant Vice President, Dubai Business Events, said: “In the wake of the global pandemic, Dubai was able to quickly restart its business events sector leveraging the city’s ability to provide both a safe setting while at the same time facilitating impactful face-to-face meetings. We continue to see strong interest from organisers looking to get their business events back on track as soon as possible – and thanks to the aligned approach taken by stakeholders across Dubai, we have been able to quickly mobilise when necessary to accommodate businesses, associations and other organisations to review their original plans and relocate events to Dubai.”
Among the major congresses and conferences coming to Dubai in the coming months are the Congress of the Société Internationale d’Urologie, Society of Petroleum Engineers Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, International Astronautical Congress, World Chambers Congress, LPG Week, Gastech and Africa Oil Week.Africa Oil Week is traditionally hosted in South Africa, this year’s edition has been relocated to Dubai, giving attendees the opportunity to engage in crucial discussions and deal making while at the same time taking advantage of a destination that can offer a safe setting.
About Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism)
With the vision of positioning Dubai as the world’s leading tourism destination and commercial hub, Dubai Tourism’s mission is to increase the awareness of Dubai among global audiences and to attract tourists and inward investment into the emirate. Dubai Tourism is the principal authority for the planning, supervision, development and marketing of Dubai’s tourism sector. It markets and promotes the Emirate’s commerce sector and is responsible for the licensing and classification of all tourism services, including hotels, tour operators and travel agents. Brands and departments within the Dubai Tourism portfolio include Dubai Business Events, Dubai Calendar, and Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment.