Dubai Celebrates Al Safeer Congress Ambassadors For Elevating City's Business Event Scene

Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) recently celebrated the achievements of its Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme members, acknowledging their significant contributions to securing high-profile conferences and congresses for the city in 2023. The annual awards ceremony, which took place at the Four Seasons Resort on Jumeirah Beach, saw ambassadors from thirty-four member organisations being honoured. These individuals hail from diverse sectors such as healthcare, science, industry, academia, and business leadership.

The Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme, an initiative by Dubai Business Events (DBE) - a part of DET and the city’s official convention bureau - has been instrumental in reinforcing Dubai's position as a global knowledge and innovation hub. By working closely with DBE and other stakeholders, programme members have successfully attracted key international business events to Dubai, aligning with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’.

This year's awards ceremony was notable for not only recognising ambassadors who secured international conferences and congresses but also those who initiated new homegrown events. These events are expected to significantly contribute to Dubai's business events sector and its economy in the long term.

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, expressed his gratitude towards the ambassadors for their role in making Dubai a premier destination for international business events. He highlighted that their efforts have led to a record number of bids in 2023 to host flagship events in the coming years. This achievement marks a successful first year of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 timeframe and sets a positive trajectory for future event acquisitions.

Al Khaja also emphasized the pivotal role of business events in driving economic and social advancement. He noted that these events support key sectors outlined in the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to double Dubai’s economy within a decade. The collaboration and innovative approaches adopted by the ambassadors have been crucial in attracting more visitors to Dubai and maintaining momentum across both business events and the broader economy.

Since its inception in 2010, the Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme has significantly contributed to Dubai's emergence as a leading destination for business events. In 2023 alone, Dubai secured three hundred and forty-nine bids to host international conferences, congresses, meetings, and incentive travel programmes, marking a 49 percent increase in events compared to the previous year.

With inputs from WAM