The three-day ‘Discover Dubai 2020’ trip, attended by 55 of Europe’s business event planners and buyers, provided an experiential and knowledge-building tour of the city-state and its meeting facilities.
The itinerary included site inspections of hotels including Armani Hotel, Sofitel Dubai Downtown, Madinat Jumeirah and Hilton Al Habtoor City and a chance to experience some of the city’s renowned attractions, such as La Perle show, and a cultural tour of Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, including an Emirati lunch at Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding.
There was also an opportunity for delegates to participate in a Leadership Forum at the Expo 2020 Dubai site to discuss Dubai’s plans for the business events industry and opportunities for planners. The forum was followed by a preview tour around the site.
“I’ve been coming to Dubai for 20 years and its ability to reinvent itself just astounds me,” said Paul Lake, creative solution specialist at BCD M&E.
“The reason I came on this trip was the unique backstage access to Expo 2020 Dubai Business Events offered. I can see a massive demand from corporates and we have a seen interest in Dubai specifically because of it. It’s simply another reason to visit Dubai.”
Steen Jakobsen, assistant vice president of Dubai Business Events, said the trip has allowed Dubai to showcase its new and existing venues and build “strong links” with the business event community across Europe.
"Our first study mission of the year has provided us with an opportunity to further elevate Dubai as a destination of choice for meeting planners. This has been made possible by the strong support we have received from stakeholders across the city, enabling us to demonstrate to our visitors the diverse, robust offerings they can take advantage of, as well as the strong connectivity and infrastructure that has made this one of the most visited cities in the world and the number one destination for business events in the region.”
Dubai Business Events is set to host a further five study missions from around the world throughout 2020, and also participate in sales missions in Europe and other markets, roadshows and trade shows including IMEX in Frankfurt and IBTM World in Barcelona, as it continues to prioritise engaging with meeting planners and other business events professionals.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
