Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) on Monday launched the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, an entity under the authority that would drive the development and promotion of business events throughout the emirate and internationally.
The bureau will also help bring forward the emirate’s ambition to become among the world’s top 50 association meetings destinations in five years as ranked by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).
In 2011, the ICCA ranked Abu Dhabi 234th in the world for eight major meetings that were held there.
The bureau, which will operate under the umbrella of TCA Abu Dhabi, will support the growth of the emirate as an international business destination for exhibitions and conferences, by bringing some of the biggest events to the capital and by providing both financial and non-financial support.
Jasem Al Darmaki, Deputy Director General at the TCA Abu Dhabi, said that the launch of the new bureau demonstrates their recognition of the potential there is for Abu Dhabi as a destination for exhibitions, conferences and business events, and how the MICE sector can contribute to Abu Dhabi’s wider tourism aspirations.
Last year, the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) hosted 17 medium to large-sized congresses. Studies commissioned by TCA Abu Dhabi and Adnec suggest that the economic impact from business events in Abu Dhabi is expected to increase by 7 per cent per annum on average and up until 2020 based on the Centre’s historic performance.
This could potentially increase up to 10 per cent compound average growth rate per annum over the next 10 years given the newly formed Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, said Ali Saeed Bin Harmel Al Dhaheri, Managing Director at Adnec.
This year, the bureau, in close partnership with Adnec, is hoping to secure six major business events, eight in 2014 and 10 in 2015.
Hameed Al Dhaheri, Chief Commercial Officer at Adnec, told reporters that eight business events have been confirmed to date for the emirate. It’s a timely process and so the numbers change as we move along, he explained.
This November, Abu Dhabi will play host to the international conference on Neurology & Epidemiology. In March 2015, Adnec will host the 16th World Congress on Tobacco or Health. Also that year, the emirate will host the 70th Annual Conference of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Mubarak Rashed Al Nuaimi, Director of Promotions and Overseas Offices at TCA Abu Dhabi, said that having a team that is fully dedicated to researching and making new bids will push the emirate’s position forward. “We’re ready for this,” he said. “We already have the infrastructure, an excellent airline, the space to host the events, and a variety of hotels to welcome our visitors.”
