The Government of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) confirmed that a dedicated Dubai Convention Bureau would be fully operational by 1st August 2002, during a press briefing at the Palexpo Exhibition Centre in Geneva yesterday (May 22nd), where the emirate is participating with a 300sq.m. stand at the
EIBTM.
Speaking to reporters, DTCM Director Operations and Marketing, Mohammed Khamis bin Hareb said, “The directives of setting up this bureau were issued by His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, UAE Minister of Defence and Chairman of the DTCM in October 2001 with the objective of marketing and selling Dubai internationally as a leading business tourism destination.”
“The establishment of the Dubai Convention Bureau underscores the government’s commitment to the tourism industry as a whole and the importance we attach to the business travel segment,” remarked Mr. bin
Hareb.
He noted that the DTCM had since commissioned a comprehensive study to gauge the meeting and convention sector and gather market intelligence before putting together a plan of action to sell Dubai aggressively as a business travel destination.
“We have set ourselves a clear-cut target of attaining around 600,000 additional guest nights from the potential international rotating meetings market by 2008 generating cumulative revenues for Dubai’s hotels in excess of US$ 200 million,” said Mr. bin
Hareb.
Guest nights at Dubai’s hotel establishments in the year ending December 2001 were over 9.1 million (inclusive of both business and leisure visitors) registering a growth of around 4% over 2000 figures.
The Dubai Convention Bureau will form part of the operation of the DTCM and will function autonomously from an independent location in Dubai.
“The Bureau will carry out all international bids on behalf of the emirate for attracting events to Dubai. It will conduct research on an ongoing basis about international and national associations and arrange for potential international associations to come to Dubai for site inspections,” observed Mr. bin
Hareb.
DTCM Manager Events, Awadh Al Seghayer added, “Dubai Convention Bureau will carry out comprehensive promotional activities that relate to Dubai as a meetings and conventions destination and organize and participate in trade shows, workshops and road shows. It will also prepare all collateral to promote Dubai as a leading business tourism destination.”
“The Bureau will work in partnership with all the convention hotels and venues and airlines in Dubai and support them extensively in marketing their facilities locally and overseas in conjunction with professional convention organizers (PCOs),” Mr. Al Seghayer stated.
Seven of the DTCM’s network of 15 overseas offices will provide international marketing representation for the Bureau and assist in the bidding process including the DTCM offices located in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Australia and the USA. |
