exhibitions: GIBTM reports: Yas Island pulls out the stops
Yas Island pulls out the stops
Last night’s GIBTM gala evening showcased Abu Dhabi’s latest meeting, incentive and tourism offering – the Yas Marina Circuit – as a flexible event space capable of delivering on creative corporate get togethers.
Despite the event being somewhat subdued due to the announcement of the official mourning period in respect of the untimely demise of Sheikh Ahmad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, delegates networked in the unique setting of the paddock area of the Yas Marina Circuit.
Guests were welcomed at The Yas Hotel before being led through to the normally off-limits pit lanes and marina. It was a real team effort, with live cooking stations provided by Yas Island hotels including Crowne Plaza, Rotana, Radisson Blu and The Yas Hotel.
“To experience an event in the pit lane of the world’s newest F1 circuit is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and truly provided the wow factor for this week’s show,” said Graeme Barnett, exhibition director, GIBTM.
“Over the past four years I’ve seen Abu Dhabi change dramatically and it has been an exciting part of working on the GIBTM show. The fact that we hosted our gala evening at Yas Marina Circuit – a fantastic new incentive destination in the emirate – shows that the emirate has developed from being purely a meetings hub to a complete meeting and incentive destination. This is part of the ADTA strategy to develop the Abu Dhabi product over a longer period.
“Clearly a lot of thought went into creating an event that demonstrated Abu Dhabi’s potential as an incentives destination and it rounded off another successful day at GIBTM 2010,” Barnett remarked.
