EVENT 360 chases mice with new ID

The new stand alone show will run in parallel with PALME Middle East Exhibition which is due to take place at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre, on 27-29 April 2008.

IIR made the strategic decision following the extraordinary growth in the event management sector throughout the Middle East region.

"With so many events and a plethora of new venues especially in Dubai, the regional events industry is booming. To address this trend we decided to give Event 360 its own identity after growing organically under the umbrella of PALME over the last few years. The regional market is now large enough and mature enough to support its own dedicated industry event,"

commented Alex Heuff, Exhibition Director.

The rebranded Event 360 will initially occupy 3,000 square metres and the show's profile will focus more on service providers and is designed to attract key decision makers within the corporate, government and hospitality sectors."

Event 360 will consist of three distinct categories: Event Management, Event Services & Suppliers and Venues. It already boasts a number of first-time exhibitors. Among them will be Purple Fire who event manage the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix. Other major players in the events industry, such as B-Marketing, 3D Deco Middle East, CSM and HQ Creative are also participating.

The new show also comes complete with its own conference, appropriately called Event 360 - The Strategic Event Management Conference. Targeting local, regional and international event organisers and destination management professionals, the five-day event will incorporate 30 presentations and keynote addresses. It will also include networking sessions and three in-depth post-conference workshops, covering topics such as event security and licenses through to legal responsibilities and insurance.

Event 360 will also inaugurate an industry awards programme, which aims to recognise excellence in the Middle East's meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions and events or MICE industry. The awards' criteria will endeavour to encourage innovation and to help raise industry standards, codes of practice and to benchmark performance.

"As a complete package, the all new Event 360 will provide the perfect stage to bring regional and international industry professionals together under one roof. In addition our complementary physical and brand positioning will also enable cross-marketing initiatives with PALME Middle East, broadening the reach and the appeal of the exhibition as a whole," added Heuff.