Dubai’s MICE sector has been given increased prominence with this year’s opening of the Dubai International Convention Centre, new hotels with extensive meetings facilities and the DTCM’s increased marketing activities.
These are attracting greater awareness to the emirate’s diverse facilities, including its 130,000 square metres of meetings and exhibition space in purpose-built facilities and hotels, which are ideal for the MICE market.
The opening of the Dubai International Convention Centre (DICC), which is part of the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), earlier this year has given the emirate an additional 7,760 square metres of flexible meetings and exhibition space further establishing Dubai as a leading MICE destination. The DICC is now the region’s largest convention centre with over 70 exhibitions taking place annually at the DWTC and over 1,000 rooms on site rooms, including the recently opened Ibis and Novotel Hotels.
Showcasing the new DICC in September 2003, Dubai successfully hosted Dubai 2003 - the annual general meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Over 15,000 delegates from 184 member countries attended this high profile event which provided the emirate with the platform to demonstrate to the world its capabilities as a complete destination capable of hosting an event of this magnitude.
Further developments this year aimed at the meetings and incentive industry in Dubai include the September opening of Mina A’Salam - the first phase of Madinat Jumeirah. Upon completion, the beach resort will provide 9,000 square metres conference space and will reflect traditional Arabian architecture plus a unique retail and dining experience complete with waterways. Shangri-La Dubai, located within the financial district, opened in July offering 301 rooms and suites and over 850 square metres of flexible meeting space aimed at attracting conference and incentive clientele.
Other key hotel openings in 2003 for MICE organisers include Grand Hyatt Dubai, the 674-room resort hotel offering over 4,340 square metres of convention space; and Traders Dubai, the four star Shangri-La property, which is scheduled to open in December 2003 will offer 250 rooms and suites and is positioning itself as both a corporate and leisure hotel.
Several public and private sector developments in the forthcoming years will continue to provide delegates with a combination of suitable products. The recently announced £3 billion Dubailand theme park, will be one of the world’s largest investments in a leisure complex covering two billion square feet with an artificial rain forest and indoor ski-slope, themed venues, a shopping mall and several five-star hotels. The project is expected to be completed by late 2006 and is set to become a key domain for incentives.
In order to attract additional business to Dubai, the DTCM, in association with 28 key suppliers, launched DUBAI Synergy. Over a period of 12 months more than 70 meetings and incentive travel organisers will have the opportunity to travel to Dubai. This major initiative is introducing key meetings and incentive travel organisers to Dubai’s latest developments. DUBAI Synergy also provides buyers with first-hand knowledge of the emirate’s excellent corporate hospitality opportunities and experience the best of the private sector’s hotels and destination management companies.