GLOBAL OPPURTUNITY

DUBAI IS GEARING UP FOR ITS BIGGEST MICE YEAR WITH THE HOSTING OF EXPO 2020 – AND ACROSS THE GULF THE SECTOR REMAINS IN THE ASCENDANCY

A year from now, with EXPO 2020 Dubai in full swing, the MICE proposition will be tangible and attention will start turning to District 2020 as legacy elements connected with ‘The World’s Greatest Show’ become clearer. The most durable fixture in the district, which will repurpose 80 per cent of the EXPO site, will be the 45,000sqm Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC).

Spread across two campuses, the centre will house a theatre, auditorium, several multi-purpose halls, four suites and 24 meeting rooms, and will be completely customisable to large events, including indoor concerts. “As part of the legacy of Expo, DEC will remain and become a core proposition in the city’s business events offering, while the rest of the site will also include a number of hotels and other facilities,” said Steen Jakobsen, Assistant Vice President, Dubai Business Events.

DEC will host a number of events organised by Informa during Expo 2020, including the 20th Cityscape Global (10-12 November 2020); Middle East Film and Comic Con (4-6 March 2021), expected to attract more than 45,000 people; and the inaugural Games Con (4-6 March 2021).

Ciaran Kelly, Managing Director UAE for FCM Travel Solutions, anticipates an increase in EXPO awareness in the new year. “I believe this will be more for business groups and not for incentive programs,” he said. “Should an incentive program run over that period, we would sell Expo as an optional excursion for delegates. There will no doubt be a positive ‘domino effect’ for the rest of the market for tours, small meetings and excursions and this new centre would have a ripple effect across various sectors, which would add value to the economy and provide business opportunities for MICE and DMC partners.”