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Held virtually to maximise attendance during the Holy Month, the two meetings, presided by His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, were part of a series of meetings and townhalls the department has hosted throughout the global pandemic to both keep stakeholders updated on all stages of the recovery and obtain their inputs on various issues.

During the meetings, attendees were provided with updates on the success of events hosted in recent months, including Gulfood and Gitex, the strong interest from planners and meetings professionals globally, and ongoing marketing efforts to raise awareness and consideration for Dubai as a host city for business events. Also discussed was the Dubai Global Events Re-Opening Forum, hosted last month, which attracted the interest of a global audience.

His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, said: “Guided by the city’s prudent leadership over the past year, Dubai has been able to lead the way globally not only in wider tourism recovery, but specifically in the restart of business events. Thanks to the efforts of our stakeholders across the sector, the momentum we built at the end of 2020 has gathered pace this year, with strong optimism for the coming months to further leverage our status as one of the few cities globally to be safely hosting business events of all sizes. As the countdown towards Expo 2020 Dubai continues, business events are playing a vital role in attracting more visitors and showcasing this as a safe city for international gatherings, and also in recapturing economic growth across all economic sectors. We remain attuned to the needs of our stakeholders as we continue on our path and welcome their input, collaboration and expertise.”

Attendees highlighted the positive impact Dubai is having on the global stage, the strong prospects for attracting and hosting more major business events, and the growing confidence among stakeholders. Over the coming months, many of them will be involved in major events taking place in the city, including Arabian Travel Market, Arab Health, International Astronautical Congress and Society of Petroleum Engineers Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition.

During Q&A sessions held during both committee meetings, HE Helal Almarri answered a wide range of questions related to the vaccination programme, testing, safety measures and the latest guidelines and best practices for organisers and venues.

Dubai Tourism discusses growing momentum of business events and exhibitions sector with industry stakeholders