Abu Dhabi's strong growth potential highlighted at ADTA's role in meetings industry

The event is being organized by Reed Travel Exhibitions and sponsored by Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority.

They highlighted that Abu Dhabi is targeting high-end leisure and MICE business rather than mass tourism. Another focal point was the existing facilities and offerings, and ongoing expansion and improvement of infrastructure needed for the conferences and related activities. They focused on the fundamentals required to create and promote the ideal image of Abu Dhabi as a leading destination for MICE tourism. Other topics included enhancing promotional skills and the need for high service levels, and their direct impact on the success of incentive tourism.

This is made possible by maintaining, protecting and encouraging tourism partnerships with the private sector and transforming Abu Dhabi into an international hub for joint investments and a world-class destination for international meetings and incentives providing the ideal platform for professionals, marketing managers and tourism service providers.

On culture and heritage levels, Imma Plana, Strategic Planner at the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), highlighted Abu Dhabi's cultural strengths and rich heritage that add special value to the Emirate's tourism potential. She said such components contribute to Abu Dhabi's cultural and tourism diversity and enriche the MICE forums and conferences providing further vitality and advantages to these activities.

Plana highlighted the efforts put together by ADACH and its partners towards the protection and maintenance of archeological sites and historic buildings. "While preservation works can guarantee the survival of the historic fabric of these places, adaptive re-uses are needed in order to support their long term maintenance and protection. MICE tourism can generate new uses to these buildings while giving visitors an exclusive experience in the Emirate," she added.

Today, the influence of local heritage is evident in many aspects of modern society such as architectural designs, tourist and cultural services, exhibitions and other events. Abu Dhabi's heritage is not only a key pillar of the Emirate's cultural identity but also a major contributor to its successful tourism offer, and in particular to the enhancement of the MICE market.

Mr. David Hackett, CEO, BI Worldwide, a global improvement company and one of the leading global incentive houses, talked about the Incentive Travel Industry in relation to the UAE capital city. He confirmed that the emirate possessed all the ingredients of success in this domain with the capability to generate the desired expertise, surpassing all expectations.

Mr. Hackett highlighted the uniqueness and diversity of the Abu Dhabi tourism sector and the importance of promoting it to compete with other global destinations. He pinpointed Abu Dhabi's strive to protect the environment and implement world's best ecotourism practices, a principal criteria to successfully market world tourism destinations. He also emphasized that Abu Dhabi should concentrate on its strengths, to maintain its cultural heritage and unique character and also highlighted the need for flexibility in meeting the requests of international incentive travel participants.

Mr. Didier Scaillet, Vice President - Global Development, Meeting Professionals International (MPI), a global community of 20,500 meeting and events professionals, expected Abu Dhabi to achieve an advanced position in the meetings industry worldwide, given the varied and integrated factors, currently serving different tourism and investment sectors and activities.

"The international interest in Abu Dhabi reflects the unwavering trust bestowed on Abu Dhabi as a highly-competitive and profitable destination for investors and visitors. The success is obviously highlighted by the number of major international tourism companies and industry players that have opened operations to Abu Dhabi within a short span of time," he added.

Mr. Roger Tondeur, President, MCI Group, one of the foremost global association, communications and event management groups in the world, discussed the concept of 'Global Associations' and available opportunities in the GCC region for economic alliances between major businesses. He said that Abu Dhabi is well-placed to meet the requirements and surpass expectations in terms of services and opportunities but we should learn by observing the best practice of the most successful destinations in handling association business such as Brussels, Vienna, Chicago/Washington, Singapore and Geneva.

World business tourism is valued at $672.5bn annually and is a key component of all strong tourism destinations. Abu Dhabi, through its strong economic fundamentals, is a vibrant business destination and has all the parameters that position it as a business tourism destination.

World business tourism experts agreed that the Emirate of Abu Dhabi will achieve greater success in the meetings and incentive industry in the coming years given the balanced economic growth witnessed by all related sectors and the strategic geographic location of the emirate at the junction between Europe, Near East and Far East.

One of the ADTA's Missions is to increase the professionalism and effectiveness of destination management through meetings and incentive industry events such as GIBTM, which enhances the promotion of the value of the meetings and incentive travel industry of Abu Dhabi.