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
The launch of the new bureau follows last year’s successful staging, at ADNEC, of the World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC) and a number of subsequent competitive congress wins.
“WOC 2012 was a watershed for Abu Dhabi’s international convention ambitions – it remains the largest congress held in the emirate with upwards of 12,000 delegates arriving at ADNEC for the convention – 80% of them first-time visitors to the emirate,” said Al Nuaimi.
The Congress delivered significant direct economic benefit to the emirate of US $21,880,540 (AED 80,325,725) with an average delegate spend of US $523 (AED 1920).
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"The business event visitor is traditionally a higher spender than the leisure tourist - sometimes by up to seven times as much," added Al Nuaimi. "They stay longer, eat in more expensive restaurants and often revisit the destination for family vacations. Our research shows that delegates to the World Ophthalmology Congress 2012 stayed an average of five nights".
The emirate has also identified the medical sector as a lucrative one. It has already secured the 20th Asia Pacific Congress of Cardiology, which will be staged at ADNEC in 2015. It will bring an anticipated 3000 medical specialists to the city, delivering estimated direct, indirect and induced economic impact of $16m (AED 60m).
Other events include April’s World Travel & Tourism Global Summit at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers with more than1000 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.
“Both these major events were secured through joint TCA Abu Dhabi-Etihad Airways bids,” said Al Nuaimi. “We continue to work with Etihad, and other stakeholders, to bring additional major business events to our shores.”
November’s International Conference on Neurology & Epidemiology will be attended by 600-800 medical practitioners in these specialised fields.
“We beat off competition from Paris, Milan, Macau and Boston to win the hosting of this event's first showing outside of Europe,” said Al Nuaimi.
In March 2015, ADNEC will host the 16th World Congress on Tobacco or Health. The five-day conference will convene 3000 specialists from governmental and non-governmental organisations collaborating on medical, public health, and public policy agendas related to global tobacco control.
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.
“Last year some 12 conferences and exhibitions received support from TCA Abu Dhabi under its Advantage Abu Dhabi incentive,” said Al Nuaimi.
“Another five submissions under the initiative’s dedicated corporate meetings and incentives schemes were supported and staged last year including the Schlumberger Interchange attended by 150 delegates; Toshiba Europe attended by 50 delegates; the Close Asset Group Incentive with 37 delegates; The Owners Group Abu Dhabi attended by 180 delegates and the InterContinental Hotel Groups Asia, Middle East and Africa Leaders Meeting attended by 400 delegates.”
Abu Dhabi is prioritising the MICE sector in line with the goals set out in the Abu Dhabi’s 2030 economic vision.
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