MORE than 150 local and international meeting and event professionals are expected to attend the first-ever Gulf Meetings and Events Conference on April 5 and 6 at the brand-new Intercontinental Hotel Dubai Festival City.

The event is set to run just before Gulf Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM) 2008 and is part of MPI’s vision to build a rich global meetings and events community. The conference will deliver a unique programme of education, professional development and networking to the region. It will also mark the beginning of a week-long focus on the sector culminating in GIBTM.
The event will benefit from the input of industry representatives from the region and the local host committee will include the following companies: Intercontinental Hotels Group, Dubai Convention Bureau, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, and Reed Travel Exhibitions. The host committee is co-chaired by Sumaira Isaacs from the MCI Group and Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi from the Dubai Convention Bureau.
MPI has partnered with Reed Travel Exhibitions to field this inaugural educational event which will broaden meeting knowledge and business relationships for MPI members and industry professionals. All professionals interested in conducting business in emerging global marketplaces, will find The Gulf Meetings and Events Conference an important opportunity to build new relationships and with GIBTM, the ideal place to conduct business.
Didier Scaillet, MPI vice-president of global development comments: “The partnership creates a strong value proposition that is aimed at local meeting professionals throughout the Middle East, many of whom we understand do not really see themselves as part of the meetings industry. It is also open to international meeting and event professionals already doing business in the region or those who are looking to do so.”
The Gulf Meetings and Events Conference aims to deliver more than 10 educational sessions as well as destination tours and several networking events.