Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau launches to drive Emirate's business events ambitions

Abu Dhabi, March 5, 2013 (WAM) - Abu Dhabi has launched a new force to drive its business events ambitions forward as it looks for the emirate to be ranked by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) as among the world's top 50 association meetings destinations in five years. Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau - a new dedicated, one-stop entity within Abu Dhabi Tourism '&' Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) - will support the growth of exhibitions and conferences within the emirate by forging closer links with the industry and providing financial and non-financial support. The bureau, which will have both expatriate and Emirati expertise, will provide a range of services to the industry including bid presentation support, delegate generation campaigns, local stakeholder co-ordination and knowledge, on-site destination advice, government support co-ordination and marketing assistance. The launch of the new entity follows a detailed economic impact study commissioned by TCA Abu Dhabi which showed that 19% of international business events visitors coming to the emirate were international and not resident in the UAE. These visitors spent Dh10,000 (US$2,723) per event while domestic visitors spent Dh640 (US$174). In 2010 the total economic impact of business events on Abu Dhabi was Dh2.4bn (US$653m). In addition, studies commissioned by TCA Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) suggest the economic impact from business events in Abu Dhabi is expected to increase by approximately 7% per annum on average up until 2020 based on historic performance. The emergence of the new bureau follows a growing appetite for Abu Dhabi as a major convention destination over the past year and a huge surge in its major business events credentials following last year's successful staging, at ADNEC, of the World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC) and a number of subsequent competitive congress wins. The medical sector holds out significant opportunity for Abu Dhabi as it pursues major convention business. The emirate has already secured the 20th Asia Pacific Congress of Cardiology, which will be staged at ADNEC in 2015. Hosted by Emirates Cardiac Society (ECS) and secured via a joint TCA Abu Dhabi-ADNEC bid supported by the ECS, the biennial scientific meeting represents the collegiate membership of 18 societies throughout the Asia Pacific region. It will bring an anticipated 3,000 medical specialists to the city, delivering direct, indirect and induced economic impact of US $16m (Dh60m). The WOC case study has stood Abu Dhabi in good stead in building a portfolio of major events which now includes: this April's World Travel '&' Tourism Global Summit at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers with over 1,000 of the world's travel and tourism industry leaders expected and June's staging of The Institute of Travel '&' Tourism's annual conference - the blue ribbon event of the UK's travel and tourism industry at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr. Around 450 of Britain's travel and tourism decision-makers are expected to attend. Also on Abu Dhabi's expanding major business events calendar are: this November's International Conference on Neurology '&' Epidemiology, which is due to be attended by 600-800 of the most eminent medical practitioners in these specialised fields. In March 2015, ADNEC will host the 16th World Congress on Tobacco or Health - a triennial gathering of international advocacy, public policy and health research experts working together to achieve the goals of the world's first public health treaty, the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC). Another 2015 event scheduled for the emirate is the 70th Annual Conference of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums which will be held at the Al Ain Wildlife Park '&' Resort (AWPR) following an AWPR bid supported by TCA Abu Dhabi. The authority is also working to upgrade its Abu Dhabi Advantage incentive programmes aimed at bringing international events to the emirate and winning regional corporate meetings for the destination. The upgraded versions are to be launched at the Gulf Incentive, Business Tourism '&' Meetings exhibition (GIBTM), which will run at ADNEC from March 25-27. To strengthen Abu Dhabi's standing as a leading business events destination, Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau has partnered with several leading global communities and organisations including: The Energy Cities Alliance; the Future Convention Cities Initiative; the International Congress and Conventions Association; Meeting Professionals International; the Society of Incentive Travel Executives and UFI - the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry.– Emirates News Agency, WAM