![\"bigstock-Team-of-friends-showing-unity--37117480\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/bigstock-Team-of-friends-showing-unity-37117480.jpg\")
History will surely remember 2015 as a year of record\u00a0breaking\u00a0migrations of people searching for security and fleeing wars.
\nWe asked convention bureaus how\u00a0much\u00a0impact has migration had on\u00a0organizing\u00a0and running events in European\u00a0cities.\u00a0Although the overall impression is\u00a0that they avoid talking about the topic,\u00a0some of them that did comment\u00a0are the London & Partners, Vienna\u00a0Convention\u00a0Bureau, Amsterdam\u00a0Marketing, Madrid Convention Bureau,\u00a0and Serbia Convention Bureau.
\nMost of these Convention bureaus\u00a0believe\u00a0that the refugee crisis has no\u00a0special impact on MICE tourism in\u00a0their countries and they have no statistical\u00a0data about events cancellations\u00a0due to the problem.
\nAlso, there is a tendency to turn these\u00a0events into opportunities, chances\u00a0to prove the safety of a destination\u00a0exceeding any negative effects.
\u201cIt\u2019s too soon to know if the last\u00a0Middle East migrations have affected\u00a0the meetings industry in Madrid;\u00a0it is reasonable to think that\u00a0these population movements won\u2019t\u00a0be a crisis factor for us: we belong\u00a0to a country traditionally chosen as\u00a0a destination by migrants coming\u00a0from the African North, and this\u00a0fact\u00a0has never been a parameter\u00a0for the evolution of this specialized\u00a0tourism\u00a0segment.\u00a0What we should do \u2013 due to the\u00a0political\u00a0and safety situation of the\u00a0Middle\u00a0Eastern and Northern African\u00a0countries \u2013 is use the advantage\u00a0to become first choice for companies\u00a0and associations looking for\u00a0safer Mediterranean and South European\u00a0destinations,\u201d says the Madrid\u00a0Convention Bureau.
\n
\u201cWe notice how carefully customers\u00a0decide on European destinations,\u201d\u00a0notes the Serbia Convention\u00a0Bureau.
\n\u201cCertain events \u2013 even big\u00a0conferences\u00a0\u2013 are getting cancelled\u00a0or having their venues changed.\u00a0The tendency is less present in Serbia,\u00a0since these challenges are not\u00a0affecting\u00a0us as much as they are other\u00a0countries.
\nAlthough there are indications that\u00a0we could benefit from these developments,\u00a0due to the decision\u00a0of some organizers to move their\u00a0events to Serbia, the fact is that\u00a0long-term instability benefits no\u00a0one and the whole industry is wishing\u00a0for a soon and permanent\u00a0solution\u00a0to the ongoing troubles,\u201d\u00a0concludes the Serbia Convention\u00a0Bureau.
Meanwhile, security and safety concerns\u00a0have overtaken cost control\u00a0as the number one priority of corporate\u00a0executives when considering\u00a0business travel growth, according to\u00a0new research from American\u00a0Express\u00a0Global Business Travel (GBT).*
\n[quote_box_center]* The Barometer released during\u00a0the GBT\u2019s 25th annual EVP,\u00a0held in Paris. The Barometer\u00a0was prepared by Concomitance\u00a0from interviews with 580\u00a0persons in charge of corporate\u00a0travel budgets and possessing\u00a0an aggregated expenditure\u00a0of \u20ac1.3 bn.\u00a0The interviewees were spread\u00a0over companies based in 10\u00a0major\u00a0European countries.[/quote_box_center]
\nSadly, at the end of 2015 another event\u00a0took place and shook the globe,\u00a0at the same time touching on many\u00a0industries \u2013 event organizing in Europe\u00a0being among them.\u00a0The horrific November attack in Paris\u00a0caused justified fear and certain\u00a0discomfort in organizing larger gatherings.
\nAccording to the responses\u00a0of other Convention bureaus, their\u00a0cities\u00a0saw no cancellations of already\u00a0arranged events, while \u2013 for example\u00a0\u2013 a Michelin event for 550 people\u00a0was requested to be moved from\u00a0Paris to Amsterdam. Paris events\u00a0were\u00a0getting cancelled, but not in large\u00a0numbers.
![\"Paris\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/paris2.jpg\")
Music events certainly\u00a0were\u00a0getting cancelled, while U2\u2019s\u00a0performance\u00a0planned for November\u00a0was moved to December.
\nAs for the movie industry, Jane Got\u00a0a Gun featuring Natalie Portman and\u00a0Bridge of Spies, where Steven Spielberg,\u00a0Mark Rylance and Amy Ryan\u00a0were\u00a0scheduled to appear, saw the\u00a0cancelling\u00a0of their promotions.
\nThe Airbnb Open conference that\u00a0takes place in Paris where more than\u00a06,000 attendees reportedly visit\u00a0from over 100 countries across the\u00a0globe has been cancelled.
Currently, the company has over\u00a0600 employees in the city, as well\u00a0as 5,000 Airbnb hosts and \u201csuperhosts\u201d\u00a0in town who attended the conference.
\nNow, organizers are looking for \u201csafe\u00a0destinations\u201d for their conferences,\u00a0conventions, or meetings, somewhat\u00a0more carefully than under normal circumstances.\u00a0We can say that everyone is aware\u00a0of and following the situation in Europe,\u00a0and by this working on promoting\u00a0their destinations as safe for\u00a0event organizing. They are expecting\u00a0everything to get back to normal,\u00a0without any major effects on MICE\u00a0tourism.
\nThis is evident in some of the 2016\u00a0plans noted by Convention bureaus\u00a0from across Europe.
![\"bigstock-a-crowd-of-people-at-a-concert-80271962\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/bigstock-a-crowd-of-people-at-a-concert-80271962.jpg\")
\u201c2015 has been a fantastic year for\u00a0London\u2019s MICE sector, we\u2019ve had some\u00a0great events coming, and returning,\u00a0to the city, such as the European\u00a0Society of Cardiology congress,\u00a0which broke all previous\u00a0records\u00a0of\u00a0attendance,\u00a0London Technology\u00a0Week,\u00a0and Advertising\u00a0Week\u00a0Europe.\u00a02016 is set to be equally\u00a0successful\u00a0with great new events\u00a0taking\u00a0place\u00a0in the capital including\u00a0New Scientist\u00a0Live, which will demonstrate\u00a0how\u00a0science and technology\u00a0can improve\u00a0lives and shape\u00a0society, and the AI\u00a0Summit, which will explore the possible\u00a0applications of Artificial Intelligence\u00a0for business purposes.\u201d-\u00a0Tracy\u00a0Halliwell,\u00a0Director\u00a0of Business\u00a0Tourism\u00a0& Major Events at London\u00a0& Partners.
\n\u201cIn the meetings industry market,\u00a0we are confident that there will be\u00a0a continuous\u00a0increase of the activity\u00a0in Madrid; overall in the incentives\u00a0and corporate sector, as the companies\u00a0are investing more budget than\u00a0in these last years of economic\u00a0crisis and it appears that Madrid is\u00a0awakening more and more\u00a0interest\u00a0between event organizers.\u201d\u00a0\u2013\u00a0David\u00a0Noack, Director of the Madrid\u00a0Convention Bureau.
\nThe post The refugee crisis and Paris attacks – Effects of the Unfortunate Events in Europe on the MICE industry appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.
\n", "content_text": "Perhaps it is too soon to analyze the effects of the refugee crisis on the MICE tourism\u00a0in Europe and the region, but we should look back and revisit last year\u2019s\u00a0events\u00a0at the start of 2016.\nHistory will surely remember 2015 as a year of record\u00a0breaking\u00a0migrations of people searching for security and fleeing wars.\nWe asked convention bureaus how\u00a0much\u00a0impact has migration had on\u00a0organizing\u00a0and running events in European\u00a0cities.\u00a0Although the overall impression is\u00a0that they avoid talking about the topic,\u00a0some of them that did comment\u00a0are the London & Partners, Vienna\u00a0Convention\u00a0Bureau, Amsterdam\u00a0Marketing, Madrid Convention Bureau,\u00a0and Serbia Convention Bureau.\nMost of these Convention bureaus\u00a0believe\u00a0that the refugee crisis has no\u00a0special impact on MICE tourism in\u00a0their countries and they have no statistical\u00a0data about events cancellations\u00a0due to the problem.\nAlso, there is a tendency to turn these\u00a0events into opportunities, chances\u00a0to prove the safety of a destination\u00a0exceeding any negative effects.\n\u201cIt\u2019s too soon to know if the last\u00a0Middle East migrations have affected\u00a0the meetings industry in Madrid;\u00a0it is reasonable to think that\u00a0these population movements won\u2019t\u00a0be a crisis factor for us: we belong\u00a0to a country traditionally chosen as\u00a0a destination by migrants coming\u00a0from the African North, and this\u00a0fact\u00a0has never been a parameter\u00a0for the evolution of this specialized\u00a0tourism\u00a0segment.\u00a0What we should do \u2013 due to the\u00a0political\u00a0and safety situation of the\u00a0Middle\u00a0Eastern and Northern African\u00a0countries \u2013 is use the advantage\u00a0to become first choice for companies\u00a0and associations looking for\u00a0safer Mediterranean and South European\u00a0destinations,\u201d says the Madrid\u00a0Convention Bureau.\n\n\u201cWe notice how carefully customers\u00a0decide on European destinations,\u201d\u00a0notes the Serbia Convention\u00a0Bureau.\n\u201cCertain events \u2013 even big\u00a0conferences\u00a0\u2013 are getting cancelled\u00a0or having their venues changed.\u00a0The tendency is less present in Serbia,\u00a0since these challenges are not\u00a0affecting\u00a0us as much as they are other\u00a0countries.\nAlthough there are indications that\u00a0we could benefit from these developments,\u00a0due to the decision\u00a0of some organizers to move their\u00a0events to Serbia, the fact is that\u00a0long-term instability benefits no\u00a0one and the whole industry is wishing\u00a0for a soon and permanent\u00a0solution\u00a0to the ongoing troubles,\u201d\u00a0concludes the Serbia Convention\u00a0Bureau.\nMeanwhile, security and safety concerns\u00a0have overtaken cost control\u00a0as the number one priority of corporate\u00a0executives when considering\u00a0business travel growth, according to\u00a0new research from American\u00a0Express\u00a0Global Business Travel (GBT).*\n[quote_box_center]* The Barometer released during\u00a0the GBT\u2019s 25th annual EVP,\u00a0held in Paris. The Barometer\u00a0was prepared by Concomitance\u00a0from interviews with 580\u00a0persons in charge of corporate\u00a0travel budgets and possessing\u00a0an aggregated expenditure\u00a0of \u20ac1.3 bn.\u00a0The interviewees were spread\u00a0over companies based in 10\u00a0major\u00a0European countries.[/quote_box_center]\nSadly, at the end of 2015 another event\u00a0took place and shook the globe,\u00a0at the same time touching on many\u00a0industries \u2013 event organizing in Europe\u00a0being among them.\u00a0The horrific November attack in Paris\u00a0caused justified fear and certain\u00a0discomfort in organizing larger gatherings.\nAccording to the responses\u00a0of other Convention bureaus, their\u00a0cities\u00a0saw no cancellations of already\u00a0arranged events, while \u2013 for example\u00a0\u2013 a Michelin event for 550 people\u00a0was requested to be moved from\u00a0Paris to Amsterdam. Paris events\u00a0were\u00a0getting cancelled, but not in large\u00a0numbers.\nParis\nMusic events certainly\u00a0were\u00a0getting cancelled, while U2\u2019s\u00a0performance\u00a0planned for November\u00a0was moved to December.\nAs for the movie industry, Jane Got\u00a0a Gun featuring Natalie Portman and\u00a0Bridge of Spies, where Steven Spielberg,\u00a0Mark Rylance and Amy Ryan\u00a0were\u00a0scheduled to appear, saw the\u00a0cancelling\u00a0of their promotions.\nThe Airbnb Open conference that\u00a0takes place in Paris where more than\u00a06,000 attendees reportedly visit\u00a0from over 100 countries across the\u00a0globe has been cancelled.\nCurrently, the company has over\u00a0600 employees in the city, as well\u00a0as 5,000 Airbnb hosts and \u201csuperhosts\u201d\u00a0in town who attended the conference.\nNow, organizers are looking for \u201csafe\u00a0destinations\u201d for their conferences,\u00a0conventions, or meetings, somewhat\u00a0more carefully than under normal circumstances.\u00a0We can say that everyone is aware\u00a0of and following the situation in Europe,\u00a0and by this working on promoting\u00a0their destinations as safe for\u00a0event organizing. They are expecting\u00a0everything to get back to normal,\u00a0without any major effects on MICE\u00a0tourism.\nThis is evident in some of the 2016\u00a0plans noted by Convention bureaus\u00a0from across Europe.\n\n\u201c2015 has been a fantastic year for\u00a0London\u2019s MICE sector, we\u2019ve had some\u00a0great events coming, and returning,\u00a0to the city, such as the European\u00a0Society of Cardiology congress,\u00a0which broke all previous\u00a0records\u00a0of\u00a0attendance,\u00a0London Technology\u00a0Week,\u00a0and Advertising\u00a0Week\u00a0Europe.\u00a02016 is set to be equally\u00a0successful\u00a0with great new events\u00a0taking\u00a0place\u00a0in the capital including\u00a0New Scientist\u00a0Live, which will demonstrate\u00a0how\u00a0science and technology\u00a0can improve\u00a0lives and shape\u00a0society, and the AI\u00a0Summit, which will explore the possible\u00a0applications of Artificial Intelligence\u00a0for business purposes.\u201d-\u00a0Tracy\u00a0Halliwell,\u00a0Director\u00a0of Business\u00a0Tourism\u00a0& Major Events at London\u00a0& Partners.\n\u201cIn the meetings industry market,\u00a0we are confident that there will be\u00a0a continuous\u00a0increase of the activity\u00a0in Madrid; overall in the incentives\u00a0and corporate sector, as the companies\u00a0are investing more budget than\u00a0in these last years of economic\u00a0crisis and it appears that Madrid is\u00a0awakening more and more\u00a0interest\u00a0between event organizers.\u201d\u00a0\u2013\u00a0David\u00a0Noack, Director of the Madrid\u00a0Convention Bureau.\nThe post The refugee crisis and Paris attacks – Effects of the Unfortunate Events in Europe on the MICE industry appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.", "date_published": "2016-03-29T14:56:41+02:00", "date_modified": "2017-12-18T11:51:46+01:00", "author": { "name": "Svetlana Gavric", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/author/ceca/", "avatar": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Ceca.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Pocetna1a.jpg", "tags": [ "convention buerau", "Madrid Convention Bureau", "mice industry", "Paris", "serbia convention buerau", "Hot topics" ] }, { "id": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/how-to-become-a-premier-destination-for-events-meetings-and-conferences/", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/how-to-become-a-premier-destination-for-events-meetings-and-conferences/", "title": "How to become a premier destination for events, meetings and conferences?", "content_html": "Dubai\u2019s hospitality sector welcomed 11.6 million\u00a0guests in 2014, while revenues went up by nearly 10 percent, with total revenues\u00a0reaching $6.5 billion.
\nThe goal of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing is to attract\u00a020 millions of visitors until 2020, and to become most visited city in the world.
![\"Mr](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Steen-in-color.jpg\")
On this occasion, we had a pleasure\u00a0to talk to Mr Steen Jakobsen, the director\u00a0of the Dubai Business Events,\u00a0the official convention bureau for\u00a0Dubai.
\nPrior to joining the Dubai Convention\u00a0Bureau, Steen was a director of the\u00a0Copenhagen Convention Bureau for\u00a08 years. Steen is actively engaged in\u00a0the global meeting industry. He has\u00a0served on the Board of Directors of\u00a0International\u00a0Congress & Convention\u00a0Association (ICCA) since 2008.
\nIn 2011, he was Appointed 3rd Vice\u00a0President of ICCA. He has also served\u00a0on the Board of Directors of Green\u00a0Meeting\u00a0Industry Council (GMIC).
\nFrom 2003 \u2013 2007, Steen was chair\u00a0of BestCities Global Alliance and today\u00a0he serves on the Board of Directors\u00a0of BestCities Global Alliance.
1. When you say Dubai, the first thing\u00a0that crosses your mind is – luxury.\u00a0Where is the place of business events\u00a0and meetings in that story?
\nIt\u2019s no secret that Dubai is a destination\u00a0of choice for those seeking luxury\u00a0and glamour, but the city is keen\u00a0to show the world it also offers great\u00a0value to business and leisure tourists\u00a0alike.
\nDubai as a city is ever evolving, and\u00a0is actively moving beyond the superlatives\u00a0to establish itself as a vibrant\u00a0destination with a quality and\u00a0diverse\u00a0tourism offer and a range\u00a0of attractions to suit every type of\u00a0traveler.
\nOur tourism stakeholders\u00a0at present are making a big push to\u00a0build more mid-market hotels and\u00a0attractions in the city, and by doing\u00a0so, Dubai is maturing into its role\u00a0as a global city that is as welcoming\u00a0as it is accessible.
From hotels\u00a0to meetings venues and transport\u00a0options, the emirate is keen to show\u00a0it maintains world-class standards\u00a0in every category that it caters to,\u00a0from seven-star luxury to affordable\u00a0three-star value. In order for Dubai\u00a0to become a truly international city,\u00a0we need to attract more and more\u00a0visitors with a class-leading and wide\u00a0ranging offer for all budgets.
\n![\"Business](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Business-Events_DIFC_Couple-walking-and-talking.jpg\")
At present Dubai\u2019s infrastructure is\u00a0such that doing business in, and from\u00a0the city is easy. There are hundreds\u00a0of hotels which offer a plethora of\u00a0flexible business facilities \u2013 whether\u00a0that\u2019s simply a meeting room for 10\u00a0people or a convention for tens of\u00a0thousands.
\nAnd of course, this is all supported\u00a0with the expansive facilities offered\u00a0at the Dubai World Trade Centre \u00a0–\u00a0the host for over 50 per cent of all exhibitions\u00a0in the Middle East region.
\n2. Do you have strategy for attracting\u00a0meetings and events in a way to make\u00a0it more achievable? What are the main\u00a0markets for Dubai, when we talk about\u00a0it as a meeting destination?
\nAs the city\u2019s official convention bureau,\u00a0Dubai Business Events promotes\u00a0Dubai\u2019s business events offer\u00a0through a number of different activities,\u00a0and most recently began hosting\u00a0large scale study missions that\u00a0regularly bring international decision –\u00a0makers to the city so we can\u00a0showcase everything we offer.
\nThis strategy allows people who are\u00a0well placed to recommend Dubai\u00a0as a destination for major events to\u00a0meet with potential partners from\u00a0the public and private sectors and\u00a0get a feel for the energy in the city.
\nBringing decision makers into Dubai\u00a0and showing them the city first-hand\u00a0is an important part of our strategy\u00a0as it also dispels a lot of misconceptions\u00a0about the emirate quickly and\u00a0effectively, such as worries that Dubai\u00a0is too expensive for delegates or\u00a0that the city is somehow unsafe because\u00a0it is in the Middle East.
\nAnother equally important component\u00a0of our strategy is to go abroad\u00a0to meet decision makers and we do\u00a0this by participating in trade shows,\u00a0sales missions, and client workshops\u00a0in key markets around the world. In\u00a0addition, we have offices in four regions\u00a0\u2013 London, New York, Sao Paulo\u00a0and China \u2013 in Beijing and Shanghai.
\nThese offices are important in\u00a0terms of reaching out to decision makers\u00a0as well. As for where events\u00a0come\u00a0from, it is safe to say they\u00a0come\u00a0from all over the world and\u00a0many are global conferences initiated\u00a0by associations usually based in\u00a0Europe or North America.
In terms of volume, however, the\u00a0majority\u00a0of delegates come from the\u00a0GCC, followed by delegates from India\u00a0and increasingly from Africa.
\n3. What do you consider as main advantages\u00a0of Dubai for events and business\u00a0tourism?
\nIn terms of infrastructure, Dubai has\u00a0excellent air connectivity with two\u00a0international\u00a0airports connecting\u00a0hundreds\u00a0of destinations across six\u00a0continents.
\nHotels abound and meeting\u00a0venues\u00a0range from the cavernous\u00a0halls that\u00a0make up the Dubai World Trade Centre\u00a0(DWTC) to the numerous ballrooms\u00a0and meeting rooms that at\u00a0are present at almost every hotel in\u00a0the city.
\nIn addition, the local transport options\u00a0include the metro, taxis, buses\u00a0and chauffeured cars, as well\u00a0as the recently launched tram network,\u00a0making it extremely easy to\u00a0get around.
\n![\"\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/DSC_4298.jpg\")
To cater to all kinds of visitors, Dubai\u00a0is increasing its already world-class\u00a0destination offering across attractions, infrastructure and services to\u00a0enhance the overall visitor experience.
\nThe emirate is also working to\u00a0leverage Dubai\u2019s position as the business\u00a0hub of the region and further\u00a0highlight Dubai\u2019s credentials as a\u00a0global business destination.
To do so, it is increasing coordination\u00a0across stakeholders,\u00a0improving\u00a0the current business\u00a0tourism offer\u00a0by grow existing events into mega\u00a0events, creating\u00a0new events in identified\u00a0sector gaps\u00a0and making Dubai a\u00a0dynamic hub for major conventions.
\nFurthermore, Dubai is increasing business\u00a0tourists\u2019 use of leisure touch\u00a0points and is encouraging visitors\u00a0to\u00a0extend the length of their stays and\u00a0return for leisure trips.
\nThe emirate\u2019s philosophy\u00a0in this regard\u00a0is that today\u2019s business visitor\u00a0is tomorrow\u2019s leisure\u00a0tourist.
\nFinally, the city is aiming to maintain\u00a0and increase the amount of independent\u00a0business travelers by adding\u00a0value to their visits, and making sure\u00a0that Dubai is the easiest place to do\u00a0business.
\n4. Can you tell us more about Dubai Association\u00a0Center?
\nDubai Association Centre (DAC) is a legal\u00a0entity which licenses the formation\u00a0of non-profit, professional associations\u00a0and trade bodies in Dubai.
\nIt was founded by Dubai Tourism,\u00a0the Dubai Chamber of Commerce &\u00a0Industry (DCCI), and the Dubai World\u00a0Trade Centre (DWTC) and will help\u00a0drive\u00a0the next stage in the emirate\u2019s\u00a0development as a center for the global\u00a0meetings industry. The establishment\u00a0of DAC is also part of a long\u00a0term plan to attract international\u00a0associations\u00a0to set up shop in the region\u00a0and consequently strengthen\u00a0Dubai\u2019s role as a knowledge hub across\u00a0all economic sectors.
\nWe have\u00a0successfully registered 12\u00a0internationally associations over the\u00a0past one year since the center was\u00a0formed, and are looking forward to\u00a0welcoming dozens more in the coming\u00a0period. Dubai\u2019s aspirations to\u00a0grow from a regional business and\u00a0events hub to an international one\u00a0will be further strengthened by a strong\u00a0knowledge economy which, in\u00a0turn, will naturally bring economic\u00a0benefits to the emirate.
\nDubai\u2019s geographic position between\u00a0cities such as New York or Washington\u00a0in the US, Brussels in Europe and\u00a0Singapore in Asia means it is uniquely\u00a0positioned to offer associations a\u00a0hub to serve Middle Eastern markets\u00a0as well as those in Africa, South Asia\u00a0and the CIS States (Commonwealth\u00a0of Independent States).
\nAll this, of\u00a0course, will steadily add value to the\u00a0emirate\u2019s meetings industry as many\u00a0more international associations with\u00a0offices in Dubai would be willing to\u00a0host their events here once they get\u00a0a feel for everything we have to offer\u00a0as a premier business events hub.
\n5. What was the most challenging\u00a0event for Dubai Business Events so far,\u00a0in terms of bidding and in terms of realization?
\nWe haven\u2019t had a \u201dmost challenging\u201d\u00a0event as such, but do face challenges\u00a0as a destination when bidding for\u00a0events.
\nA key challenge for us is changing potential visitors\u2019 perceptions\u00a0of Dubai.
![\"Metro\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/DSC_4376-High.jpg\")
The emirate is known\u00a0globally\u00a0as a world-class destination,\u00a0a place of record breaking firsts,\u00a0where\u00a0anything can happen and where\u00a0it often does.
\nWhat many people who haven\u2019t experienced\u00a0Dubai don\u2019t realize is, that\u00a0beyond the aspirational aspect, how\u00a0accessible it is from a logistical and\u00a0budgetary point of view for both leisure\u00a0and business travelers.
\nAlso, given our location,\u00a0we always\u00a0need to ensure that we are consistently\u00a0relaying what a stable and open\u00a0destination Dubai\u00a0is, with over 200\u00a0na\u00adtionalities living and working in\u00a0the emirate.
\nTo address these\u00a0concerns, all our\u00a0communications, be it direct liaison\u00a0during the bid process to wider communications,\u00a0reflect the diversity\u00a0and depth of our offer and the benefits\u00a0of Dubai as a holistic business\u00a0destination.
\n6. Your favorite dish in Dubai?
\nDubai has an amazing array of restaurants.\u00a0A visiting delegate would be\u00a0hard pressed to see even a small\u00a0fraction\u00a0of the best places this city\u00a0has to offer. With that being said,\u00a0choosing\u00a0a favorite dish is extremely\u00a0hard. La Serre Bistro & Boulangerie\u00a0at Vida Downtown Dubai hotel, however,\u00a0has an incredible breakfast\u00a0menu, which includes a delectable\u00a0scrambled eggs with smoked salmon.
\nThe post How to become a premier destination for events, meetings and conferences? appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.
\n", "content_text": "Dubai is known as a fastest growing destination in the world, running towards\u00a0the future. Tourism is playing very important role, strongly implemented into\u00a0overall economy and lifestyle. \nDubai\u2019s hospitality sector welcomed 11.6 million\u00a0guests in 2014, while revenues went up by nearly 10 percent, with total revenues\u00a0reaching $6.5 billion.\nThe goal of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing is to attract\u00a020 millions of visitors until 2020, and to become most visited city in the world.\nMr Steen Jakobsen\nOn this occasion, we had a pleasure\u00a0to talk to Mr Steen Jakobsen, the director\u00a0of the Dubai Business Events,\u00a0the official convention bureau for\u00a0Dubai.\nPrior to joining the Dubai Convention\u00a0Bureau, Steen was a director of the\u00a0Copenhagen Convention Bureau for\u00a08 years. Steen is actively engaged in\u00a0the global meeting industry. He has\u00a0served on the Board of Directors of\u00a0International\u00a0Congress & Convention\u00a0Association (ICCA) since 2008.\nIn 2011, he was Appointed 3rd Vice\u00a0President of ICCA. He has also served\u00a0on the Board of Directors of Green\u00a0Meeting\u00a0Industry Council (GMIC).\nFrom 2003 \u2013 2007, Steen was chair\u00a0of BestCities Global Alliance and today\u00a0he serves on the Board of Directors\u00a0of BestCities Global Alliance.\n1. When you say Dubai, the first thing\u00a0that crosses your mind is – luxury.\u00a0Where is the place of business events\u00a0and meetings in that story?\nIt\u2019s no secret that Dubai is a destination\u00a0of choice for those seeking luxury\u00a0and glamour, but the city is keen\u00a0to show the world it also offers great\u00a0value to business and leisure tourists\u00a0alike.\nThe emirate\u2019s philosophy\u00a0is that today\u2019s business\u00a0visitor is tomorrow\u2019s\u00a0leisure tourist.\nDubai as a city is ever evolving, and\u00a0is actively moving beyond the superlatives\u00a0to establish itself as a vibrant\u00a0destination with a quality and\u00a0diverse\u00a0tourism offer and a range\u00a0of attractions to suit every type of\u00a0traveler.\nOur tourism stakeholders\u00a0at present are making a big push to\u00a0build more mid-market hotels and\u00a0attractions in the city, and by doing\u00a0so, Dubai is maturing into its role\u00a0as a global city that is as welcoming\u00a0as it is accessible. \nFrom hotels\u00a0to meetings venues and transport\u00a0options, the emirate is keen to show\u00a0it maintains world-class standards\u00a0in every category that it caters to,\u00a0from seven-star luxury to affordable\u00a0three-star value. In order for Dubai\u00a0to become a truly international city,\u00a0we need to attract more and more\u00a0visitors with a class-leading and wide\u00a0ranging offer for all budgets.\nBusiness Events\nAt present Dubai\u2019s infrastructure is\u00a0such that doing business in, and from\u00a0the city is easy. There are hundreds\u00a0of hotels which offer a plethora of\u00a0flexible business facilities \u2013 whether\u00a0that\u2019s simply a meeting room for 10\u00a0people or a convention for tens of\u00a0thousands.\nAnd of course, this is all supported\u00a0with the expansive facilities offered\u00a0at the Dubai World Trade Centre \u00a0–\u00a0the host for over 50 per cent of all exhibitions\u00a0in the Middle East region.\n2. Do you have strategy for attracting\u00a0meetings and events in a way to make\u00a0it more achievable? What are the main\u00a0markets for Dubai, when we talk about\u00a0it as a meeting destination?\nAs the city\u2019s official convention bureau,\u00a0Dubai Business Events promotes\u00a0Dubai\u2019s business events offer\u00a0through a number of different activities,\u00a0and most recently began hosting\u00a0large scale study missions that\u00a0regularly bring international decision –\u00a0makers to the city so we can\u00a0showcase everything we offer.\nThis strategy allows people who are\u00a0well placed to recommend Dubai\u00a0as a destination for major events to\u00a0meet with potential partners from\u00a0the public and private sectors and\u00a0get a feel for the energy in the city.\nDubai is maturing into its\u00a0role as a global city that\u00a0is as welcoming as it\u00a0is accessible.\nBringing decision makers into Dubai\u00a0and showing them the city first-hand\u00a0is an important part of our strategy\u00a0as it also dispels a lot of misconceptions\u00a0about the emirate quickly and\u00a0effectively, such as worries that Dubai\u00a0is too expensive for delegates or\u00a0that the city is somehow unsafe because\u00a0it is in the Middle East.\nAnother equally important component\u00a0of our strategy is to go abroad\u00a0to meet decision makers and we do\u00a0this by participating in trade shows,\u00a0sales missions, and client workshops\u00a0in key markets around the world. In\u00a0addition, we have offices in four regions\u00a0\u2013 London, New York, Sao Paulo\u00a0and China \u2013 in Beijing and Shanghai.\nThese offices are important in\u00a0terms of reaching out to decision makers\u00a0as well. As for where events\u00a0come\u00a0from, it is safe to say they\u00a0come\u00a0from all over the world and\u00a0many are global conferences initiated\u00a0by associations usually based in\u00a0Europe or North America.\nIn terms of volume, however, the\u00a0majority\u00a0of delegates come from the\u00a0GCC, followed by delegates from India\u00a0and increasingly from Africa.\n3. What do you consider as main advantages\u00a0of Dubai for events and business\u00a0tourism?\nIn terms of infrastructure, Dubai has\u00a0excellent air connectivity with two\u00a0international\u00a0airports connecting\u00a0hundreds\u00a0of destinations across six\u00a0continents.\nHotels abound and meeting\u00a0venues\u00a0range from the cavernous\u00a0halls that\u00a0make up the Dubai World Trade Centre\u00a0(DWTC) to the numerous ballrooms\u00a0and meeting rooms that at\u00a0are present at almost every hotel in\u00a0the city.\nIn addition, the local transport options\u00a0include the metro, taxis, buses\u00a0and chauffeured cars, as well\u00a0as the recently launched tram network,\u00a0making it extremely easy to\u00a0get around.\n\nTo cater to all kinds of visitors, Dubai\u00a0is increasing its already world-class\u00a0destination offering across attractions, infrastructure and services to\u00a0enhance the overall visitor experience.\nThe emirate is also working to\u00a0leverage Dubai\u2019s position as the business\u00a0hub of the region and further\u00a0highlight Dubai\u2019s credentials as a\u00a0global business destination.\nTo do so, it is increasing coordination\u00a0across stakeholders,\u00a0improving\u00a0the current business\u00a0tourism offer\u00a0by grow existing events into mega\u00a0events, creating\u00a0new events in identified\u00a0sector gaps\u00a0and making Dubai a\u00a0dynamic hub for major conventions.\nFurthermore, Dubai is increasing business\u00a0tourists\u2019 use of leisure touch\u00a0points and is encouraging visitors\u00a0to\u00a0extend the length of their stays and\u00a0return for leisure trips.\nThe emirate\u2019s philosophy\u00a0in this regard\u00a0is that today\u2019s business visitor\u00a0is tomorrow\u2019s leisure\u00a0tourist.\nFinally, the city is aiming to maintain\u00a0and increase the amount of independent\u00a0business travelers by adding\u00a0value to their visits, and making sure\u00a0that Dubai is the easiest place to do\u00a0business.\n4. Can you tell us more about Dubai Association\u00a0Center?\nDubai Association Centre (DAC) is a legal\u00a0entity which licenses the formation\u00a0of non-profit, professional associations\u00a0and trade bodies in Dubai.\nIt was founded by Dubai Tourism,\u00a0the Dubai Chamber of Commerce &\u00a0Industry (DCCI), and the Dubai World\u00a0Trade Centre (DWTC) and will help\u00a0drive\u00a0the next stage in the emirate\u2019s\u00a0development as a center for the global\u00a0meetings industry. The establishment\u00a0of DAC is also part of a long\u00a0term plan to attract international\u00a0associations\u00a0to set up shop in the region\u00a0and consequently strengthen\u00a0Dubai\u2019s role as a knowledge hub across\u00a0all economic sectors.\nWhat many people who\u00a0haven\u2019t experienced Dubai\u00a0don\u2019t realize is, that beyond\u00a0the aspirational aspect,\u00a0how accessible it is from\u00a0a logistical and budgetary\u00a0point of view for both leisure\u00a0and business travelers.\nWe have\u00a0successfully registered 12\u00a0internationally associations over the\u00a0past one year since the center was\u00a0formed, and are looking forward to\u00a0welcoming dozens more in the coming\u00a0period. Dubai\u2019s aspirations to\u00a0grow from a regional business and\u00a0events hub to an international one\u00a0will be further strengthened by a strong\u00a0knowledge economy which, in\u00a0turn, will naturally bring economic\u00a0benefits to the emirate.\nDubai\u2019s geographic position between\u00a0cities such as New York or Washington\u00a0in the US, Brussels in Europe and\u00a0Singapore in Asia means it is uniquely\u00a0positioned to offer associations a\u00a0hub to serve Middle Eastern markets\u00a0as well as those in Africa, South Asia\u00a0and the CIS States (Commonwealth\u00a0of Independent States).\nAll this, of\u00a0course, will steadily add value to the\u00a0emirate\u2019s meetings industry as many\u00a0more international associations with\u00a0offices in Dubai would be willing to\u00a0host their events here once they get\u00a0a feel for everything we have to offer\u00a0as a premier business events hub.\n5. What was the most challenging\u00a0event for Dubai Business Events so far,\u00a0in terms of bidding and in terms of realization?\nWe haven\u2019t had a \u201dmost challenging\u201d\u00a0event as such, but do face challenges\u00a0as a destination when bidding for\u00a0events.\nA key challenge for us is changing potential visitors\u2019 perceptions\u00a0of Dubai.\nMetro\nThe emirate is known\u00a0globally\u00a0as a world-class destination,\u00a0a place of record breaking firsts,\u00a0where\u00a0anything can happen and where\u00a0it often does.\nWhat many people who haven\u2019t experienced\u00a0Dubai don\u2019t realize is, that\u00a0beyond the aspirational aspect, how\u00a0accessible it is from a logistical and\u00a0budgetary point of view for both leisure\u00a0and business travelers.\nAlso, given our location,\u00a0we always\u00a0need to ensure that we are consistently\u00a0relaying what a stable and open\u00a0destination Dubai\u00a0is, with over 200\u00a0na\u00adtionalities living and working in\u00a0the emirate.\nWe have successfully registered\u00a012 internationally\u00a0associations over the past\u00a0one year since the center\u00a0was formed, and are\u00a0looking\u00a0forward to welcoming\u00a0dozens more in the\u00a0coming period.\nTo address these\u00a0concerns, all our\u00a0communications, be it direct liaison\u00a0during the bid process to wider communications,\u00a0reflect the diversity\u00a0and depth of our offer and the benefits\u00a0of Dubai as a holistic business\u00a0destination.\n6. Your favorite dish in Dubai?\nDubai has an amazing array of restaurants.\u00a0A visiting delegate would be\u00a0hard pressed to see even a small\u00a0fraction\u00a0of the best places this city\u00a0has to offer. With that being said,\u00a0choosing\u00a0a favorite dish is extremely\u00a0hard. La Serre Bistro & Boulangerie\u00a0at Vida Downtown Dubai hotel, however,\u00a0has an incredible breakfast\u00a0menu, which includes a delectable\u00a0scrambled eggs with smoked salmon.\nThe post How to become a premier destination for events, meetings and conferences? appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.", "date_published": "2015-07-10T14:14:44+02:00", "date_modified": "2017-12-18T13:52:22+01:00", "author": { "name": "Miona Milic", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/author/miona/", "avatar": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG-20240224-WA0003-e1728981138373.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Emirates-Air-Line-3-HI.jpg", "tags": [ "convention buerau", "dubai", "dubai business event", "meetings destination", "Convention Bureaus" ] } ] }