destination reports: abu dhabi: Meeting central
Meeting central
Abu Dhabi’s positioning as a major international events destination is also high on the agenda for growth, attracting an increasingly diverse range of regional and international shows.
The start of the year saw three major coups announced with the signing of the inaugural Media Summit (March), the World Health Care Congress Middle East (December) and the year-end World Green Tourism Congress.
Its portfolio of top drawer trade exhibitions already includes IDEX, the world’s largest defence show; the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, the third largest in the world; the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (GIBTM) exhibition and the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show, which recently concluded its second outing.
The World Health Care Congress Middle East has been described as the ’Davos of healthcare’, and will be held in the capital for the next three years, giving a serious nod to the emirate’s congress capabilities. “We envisage the event attracting a high regional and international turnout of health care executives, providers and government leaders to explore fresh ideas and unique insights,” comments ADTA’s Taylor.
And with environmental initiatives underpinning Abu Dhabi’s development plans, the World Green Tourism Congress will be the first meeting event to emerge from the authority's Advantage Abu Dhabi (AAD) incentive programme.
"With the event aiming to influence the integration of eco-tourism principles into the operations and policies of tourism industry players it has huge synergies with the authority's overall vision of becoming an outstanding, globally recognised and sustainable destination of distinction,” explains Taylor.
