The Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings exhibition will return to ADNEC in the UAE, from March 25-27, 2013. The Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings exhibition will return to ADNEC in the UAE, from March 25-27, 2013.

The MICE industry is making a steady come back, according to Reed Travel Exhibitions. Be part of its revival at this year’s GIBTM exhibition at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from March 25-27

There couldn’t be a better time for the Middle East’s meetings industry to converge at the annual Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM), being held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from March 25-27.

The opening of the first phase of the 1608-room JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, which has been developed by Emirates Airline with the principal purpose of bringing new convention business to Dubai, has brought the potential of the MICE business back to the top of the agenda for hoteliers and destination marketers alike.

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But, with growing demand, and consensus being that there is a great deal of untapped potential in this segment, it’s also little wonder that the area general manager of InterContinental Hotels Group’s Dubai Festival City properties has asserted that Dubai will actually run out of convention space in the not too distant future .

The re-emergence of the MICE business is a trend the organiser of GIBTM, Reed Travel Exhibitions, has noted worldwide, with the industry making a “steady comeback”.

This is supported by the findings of research houses such as YouGov, with nearly half (47%) of all UAE and KSA travellers it surveyed claiming they expect to increase their business travel in the next 12 months, and the UAE mooted as the most popular destination, reported Reed.

It observed that countries are also investing in marketing campaigns and promoting themselves as MICE destinations to attract event organisers, supported by travel companies specialising in MICE services and activities.

As a result, GIBTM 2013 will welcome an influx of new exhibitors this year, including the Madrid Visitors & Convention Bureau, the Serbia Convention Bureau, Georgian National Tourism Agency, Athens Convention Bureau, the Marmara Convention Bureau, Ascari Race Car, Adile Sultan Sarayi and San Francisco Travel, along with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism – which is making a welcome return to the show after a one-year absence.

Repeat participants from the region and key overseas markets include the Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Cyprus Tourism Authority, Hungarian National Tourism, Oman Ministry of Tourism, Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), TCA Abu Dhabi and the Turkish Culture & Information Office.

Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts, Rotana Hotels & Resorts and the Kuwait Hotel Owners Association are among the major hotel groups also returning to the event, with the Bahrain Ministry of Tourism, Etihad Airways and Jordan Tourism Board also all doubling the size of their exhibition stands at the 2013 show.

GIBTM exhibition manager Lois Hall said: “GIBTM exists to bring together MICE and business travel professionals to network, conduct business, acquire knowledge and share best practices, and so it offers a 360-degree experience that combines commercial opportunities along with professional development.
With more than 300 exhibitors from 36 different countries under one roof, this is set to be the most comprehensive Middle East event for the meetings industry yet.”

GIBTM 2013 is set to bring back popular features, but also shake things up with some new elements.

Show highlights
The show’s popular Hosted Buyer Programme will welcome 300 senior level regional and international buyers, with total combined budget potential of more than US $287 million, according to show organiser, Reed Travel Exhibitions.

New initiatives for 2013 include the debut of the Event Camp, which will allow visitors and buyers to experience, learn and interact with like-minded professionals through the delivery of real-life case studies.

The conference programme will also be streamed across the globe, yet another first for GIBTM.

Other highlights include the European and Asian Market Focus Hours, which provide a full 60 minutes of networking interaction between exhibitors and buyers and the release of the Seventh IBTM Middle East Meetings Report.

Also on the agenda is a series of interactive sessions focused on business travel management, hosted by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE).

Education is a major cornerstone of the GITBM calendar, and the 2013 event promises exciting new sessions including ‘The Middle East Going Green’, presented by ICCA; ‘The Future of Meetings: flash forward 2030’ by MPI; and a special seminar to look at the trend in ‘Meetings Architecture’.

For the second consecutive year GIBTM will host an Arabic session with Cultural & Tourism Consultant Ali Al Saloom. Finally, an integral part of all hospitality events is the networking opportunities and GIBTM is no different.
Don’t miss the GIBTM Hosted Buyer Welcome Reception on March 25 at Eastern Mangroves Hotel and Spa Abu Dhabi by Anantara and Official GIBTM Gala Evening at Emirates Palace on March 26.

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