Emirate reveals economic impact of Nu Skin incentive group estimated at $80 million USD (AED290 million) to international audience in Frankfurt, Germany
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Dubai’s Department of Commerce and Tourism Marketing (DTCM) is declaring its recent showing at IMEX 2014 as a major success that will help expand the emirate’s growing business events and hospitality sectors. Held this past May 20-22 in Frankfurt, Germany, IMEX is the world’s most prominent exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events. Joining DTCM at the prestigious three-day tradeshow was a delegation comprised of over 50 local travel industry partners that included airlines, hotels and tour operators.
Under the colours of Dubai’s new brand identity, DTCM highlighted the emirate’s proven capacity to host mega-incentive groups following the successful hosting of 14,500 delegates from Nu Skin Enterprises last month, and shared details of the recently launched Dubai Association Centre (DAC). Furthermore, it announced an agreement with the International Association of Professional Conference Organizers (IAPCO). DTCM also revealed that the hosting of the group from Nu Skin Enterprises in China – the largest incentive group in UAE history – generated an economic impact estimated at $80 million US dollars (AED290 million) for the emirate.
Commenting on Dubai’s rapidly growing global profile as an events, incentive and conference hub, Steen Jakobsen, Director of the Dubai Convention and Events Bureau (DCEB), a division of DTCM, said: “The look of Dubai’s new brand has been very well received here at IMEX and our successful hosting of the 14,500-delegate incentive group from China has shown the world what we in the emirate have long known – that Dubai has the expertise, infrastructure, dynamic leisure attractions and key partnerships to host events and groups of any size and scale, from anywhere in the world.”
Dubai’s agreement with IAPCO, a global organisation whose members include key global events decision-makers, will enable the emirate to attract major international conferences and exhibitions by efficiently providing IAPCO members with the support and information they require to make recommendations to clients.
Also announced for the first time to a global audience was the Dubai Association Centre (DAC), a new legal platform that will allow international associations to establish their regional headquarters in Dubai, and grow their membership numbers not only in the UAE, but also in regional emerging markets in the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia. The establishment of DAC will also result in a boost for the business tourism industry, with more major meetings and large exhibitions taking place in the emirate.
With a firm focus on promoting the quality and breadth of the emirate’s tourism offer during IMEX, members of Dubai’s delegation held over 650 meetings with key buyers and conference organisers from around the world with the DTCM team alone meeting with over 100 key clients. As a result of DTCM and the Dubai delegations efforts at IMEX, officials have received various expressions of interest from groups wishing to organise large incentive trips to Dubai.
The flurry of activity at IMEX 2014 comes following the launch of a new Dubai brand identity and marketing blueprint earlier this month, which prompted the emirate to state its ambition to become the most visited city in the world. After being named a top destination to visit in 2014 by both The New York Times and TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards, the emirate is currently looking to enhance its status by implementing a carefully researched marketing blueprint that will help realise Tourism Vision 2020. Under the Tourism Vision 2020 strategy, the emirate hopes to double visitor numbers from 10 million guests in 2012 to 20 million guests in 2020.
