Thanks to visionary leadership and a culture of collaboration across public and private sectors, Dubai’s status as a business events hub has evolved rapidly.
Its ability to successfully host major business events has been proven time after time, contributing to the growth of the sector and, in turn, enhancing its contribution to Dubai’s GDP.
Yet in an age when the city is competing against peers around the world for events, legacy has never been more important.
At Dubai Business Events (DBE), part of Dubai Tourism and the city’s Official Convention Bureau, it is a crucial part of most conversations when we position Dubai as a host city for events.
Legacy can be locked in right at the outset — by connecting international associations with their local counterparts and institutions.
The relationships formed at this stage can help to guarantee not only the success of an event, but also ensure strong legacies for both sides.
A large part of DBE’s role is to advise on legacy projects that fit the needs of both the global and local associations.
These can range from educational initiatives and public advocacy to charity projects and increases in membership, as well as the impetus to create local and regional events.
Innovation
One of the key reasons associations often choose to host their events in Dubai is the scope for growth of their membership and the development of their respective professions in the UAE and the wider region.
The Dubai Association Centre — an initiative of Dubai Tourism, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Dubai World Trade Centre — plays an important role in providing an avenue to set up local chapters, thus offering an ideal setting for global associations to expand across the Middle East and beyond.
The impact they can have is particularly important as the UAE continues to develop and diversify its knowledge economy.
A key element underpinning the nation’s diversification journey is the UAE National Innovation Strategy.
Key sectors
Launched in 2014, this plan concentrates on seven key sectors — renewable energy, transport, education, health, technology, water and space — over a period of seven years, with the objective of making the UAE one of the most innovative nations in the world by 2021, when the country celebrates 50 years of unification.
The strategy bolsters our efforts to attract events from these sectors by providing a collaborative and objective-orientated framework.
Among the seven areas of concentration is space science and exploration, an innovative field that constantly pushes boundaries.
As part of this focus, Dubai successfully bid to host the 71st International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in 2020.
Gathering some 5,000 international space sector experts and delegates, this event highlights the strategic cross-sector collaboration taking place in Dubai, as well as the government support that is a significant factor driving business events.
Amid the backdrop of high-level support and effective collaborations between stakeholders, international businesses and associations are clearly benefiting from hosting events in the city.
In addition to Dubai’s renowned infrastructure, facilities and offerings, associations and events receive wide support from the city’s existing programmes and initiatives to support business events, including access to worldwide networks of experts.
Similarly, with a growing reputation as a knowledge hub, Dubai allows international events to tap into the recognised institutions and associations that have made a home here — from the medical sector to the space industry.
Forum for discussion, education
A tangible example of the kind of legacies business events can leave can be found in the case of the 59th World Congress and Exhibition of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), which took place in Dubai in 2011.
The event was awarded, and then hosted, at a time when Dubai was undergoing immense public transport infrastructure development.
The success of the congress led to the establishment of a biennial regional event, the UITP Mena Transport Congress & Exhibition, which continues to provide a vital forum for discussion, education and innovation in the sector.
UITP also followed up the World Congress by establishing a permanent presence in Dubai, setting up its Mena Regional Office in the city and registering with the Dubai Association Centre.
Legacy is a strong consideration as we look towards Expo 2020 Dubai, the first time a World Expo will be held in the Middle East, Africa and south Asia region.
Success breeds success
As preparations take place, Expo 2020 Dubai is already changing the city’s landscape and establishing a significant legacy, with an economic impact across tourism and business sectors that far exceeds the primary mandate.
Our colleagues at Expo 2020 Dubai are focused on making an impact that is meaningful and sustainable, impacting not only the UAE, but the wider region and the rest of the world.
While the physical legacy will live on through the post-event conversion of the Expo site into District 2020, there will also be strong economic, social and reputational legacies too.
In the long-term, it is clear that success breeds success, and that Dubai has capitalised on its momentum to excel across a range of sectors in a diverse and sustainable manner.
Through 2020 and beyond, as it always has, the city will continue to adapt to changing global landscapes and trends.
Issam Kazim is CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing.
