A record number of associations are holding their
conferences in Dubai.
The city’s convention bureau won bids to host 57 association
meetings last year – including flagship international congresses – as the
emirate’s post-pandemic recovery gathered pace.
In total, Dubai Business Events (DBE) won 232 bids
for business events in 2022, almost twice as many as the previous year,
including, it said, a record number of association meetings.
They include the International Federation of Clinical
Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine WorldLab Congress 2024, International
Congress of Endocrinology 2024, World Sports Medicine Congress 2024, World
Congress of the International Society of Radiographers and Radiological
Technologies 2026, and International Symposium on Dental Hygiene 2028.
The strong performance in 2022 represented a 95 per cent
growth in the number of successful bids from 2021 and a 92 per cent increase in
the number of delegates added to the pipeline – all further accelerating the
momentum of Dubai’s growth.
Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail
Establishment, said: “Dubai’s success in capturing business events in 2022,
especially international association conferences, will play a vital role in
further propelling innovation, professional development and knowledge exchange
in their respective sectors and industries, and elevate Dubai’s standing within
them.”
Steen Jakobsen, Associate VP, Dubai Business Events, said:
“Engaging with meeting planners globally throughout 2022, we consistently heard
that they were impressed with the way in which Dubai’s business events sector
rapidly rebounded in the wake of the pandemic and appreciative of the platform
the city provided them to safely resume their events.
“This has built on many years of efforts to consistently
develop Dubai’s offerings, across not only the business events sector but also
the knowledge economy – and drive awareness of it among meeting planners and
association executives. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with our
stakeholders in 2023 and leveraging our international partnerships to further
elevate Dubai as a destination of choice.”
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
