Dubai Business Events To Showcase At IMEX Frankfurt 2024, Strengthening Global Presence

Dubai Business Events (DBE), the official convention bureau of Dubai and part of the Department of Economy and Tourism, is participating in IMEX Frankfurt 2024. The Dubai delegation includes over 35 co-exhibiting stakeholders from partner organisations, such as DMCs, hotels, venues, and airlines. Notable participants include Emirates, Expo City Dubai, Dubai World Trade Centre, Emaar Hospitality Group, Hyatt Hotels, and Atlantis the Palm Hotels & Resort.

Aligned with this year's IMEX theme, "Impact," Dubai aims to enhance its reputation as a premier destination for international business events. The city’s strategy focuses on attracting business events that contribute to both visitation growth and economic impact. This approach supports the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which seeks to position Dubai as a top city for visiting, living, working, and investing.

The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) recently named Dubai the number one city in the Middle East for association meetings hosted in 2023. Additionally, Cvent ranked Dubai as the top meeting destination in the Middle East and Africa. These accolades underline Dubai's status as a preferred host for significant meetings.

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), commented on the alignment of IMEX’s theme with Dubai’s ambitions. He highlighted the city's focus on attracting events that positively impact the knowledge economy and overall economic growth. Al Khaja expressed confidence that their collaborative efforts at IMEX would build on recent successes and secure more international conferences and meetings.

IMEX is a crucial component of DBE’s year-round initiatives to promote Dubai as a leading business events destination. The event showcases Dubai’s growing prominence as a global hub for business events and knowledge exchange. It also provides an opportunity for DBE to strengthen ties with key industry partners such as ICCA, International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), Best Cities Global Alliance, and Global Association Hubs Partnerships.

Dubai welcomed 5.18 million overnight visitors between January and March 2024, marking an 11 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023. This follows a successful 2023 when the city attracted 17.15 million international overnight visitors, representing a 19.4 percent year-on-year growth over the 14.36 million tourist arrivals in 2022.

With inputs from WAM