TCA Abu Dhabi director general HE Jasem Al Darmaki and ADNEC MD HE Ali Saeed Bin Harmel Al Dhaheri launch the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau
Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) has launched the Abu Dhabi Conventions Bureau (ADCB) and website.
The entity, formerly referred to as the TCA Abu Dhabi Business Tourism Department, currently employs a team of seven and has been given an unspecified budget to boost the emirate's ranking in the world's top destinations for MICE.
“In 2011, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) ranked Abu Dhabi 234 in the world for the eight major meetings held in the destination. We have more than doubled that last year and realistically expect to be within ICCA’s Top 150 when the rankings are announced in the next few months,” TCA Abu Dhabi deputy director general HE Jasem Al Darmaki said.
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ADCB hopes to secure a spot in the top 50 destinations within the next five years by "forging closer links with the industry and providing financial and non-financial support".
“We will provide free, and non-biased assistance and support to professional convention, incentive and exhibition planners, corporations and associations so that they can bid for, win and hold conferences, major business events, business meetings and congresses in Abu Dhabi,” added Al Darmaki.
The bureau is targeting six major business wins in 2013, followed by eight in 2014 and 10 wins during 2015. TCA Abu Dhabi director of promotions and overseas offices Mubarak Rashed Al Nuaimi told Hotelier that the authority was "on the verge" of signing one event related to the tourism industry. He added that all six bids for 2013 were for events expected to attract less than 5000 delegates.
The launch of ADCB 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 AED 10,000 (US $2723) per event while domestic visitors spent AED 640 ($174). In 2010 the total economic impact of business events on Abu Dhabi was AED 2.4 billion ($653 million).
“There are also compelling socio-economic benefits resulting from this sector including improved education quality across various sectors, knowledge and technology transfer, research collaborations, destination and opportunity awareness, the positioning of Abu Dhabi as a thought leader, the ongoing development of human capital and the catalysing of inward investment,” explained Al Darmaki.
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 study findings make good reading all-round,” said ADNEC MD HE Ali Saeed Bin Harmel Al Dhaheri. “However, given the newly-formed Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, this can potentially increase at a much higher rate – by up to 10% compound average growth rate per annum over the next 10 years”.
In an interview with Hotelier, Al Nuaimi said studies had not focused on the impact of the growing MICE market on hotel performance but the authority said hotel rates, which were at an all-time low (averaging AED 454 in January 2013, a 10% drop from the same month in 2012), would increase the competitiveness of the emirate.
“Our timing could not be better. We have our most competitive room rates ever – which can be a deciding factor for major associations and business event organisers looking to secure a host destination and our available hotel stock is now well-suited to large events,” added Al Darmaki. “Our distinctive advantages are competitive rates, intelligent pricing, added value and innovative product".
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