DUBAI: The Dubai World Trade Centre has recorded a significant milestone since inception, hosting 3.03 million delegates and attendees to events, said a report. Announced by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Board of Dubai World Trade Centre Authority, DWTCA, the results represent an impressive 11 per cent year-on-year footfall increase attracting attendance from 185 countries with 51,711 exhibiting companies, of which nearly 70 per cent were foreign exhibitors, said a report in WAM.
Sheikh Ahmed said in his board address, “Since inception, DWTC has consistently built international repute as a strategic driver of growth for the region’s MICE sector and 2016 has continued this trajectory, delivering strong double digit performance across the business. Our strategic agenda to build a highly diversified events calendar for Dubai has been instrumental in allowing DWTC to retain undisputed regional leadership in the global MICE industry. Today, we continue to leverage our unique geographic positioning and the strength of the entire portfolio of DWTC businesses to collectively raise Dubai’s profile as a critical node on the new global silk road, by building the profile of the DWTC events programme, increasing the variety and number of events, improving the venue occupancy and accelerating regional and international visitation. DWTC’s 2016 results have unfailingly reiterated Dubai’s attractiveness for exhibiting companies and trade delegates from every corner of the globe, and the importance of the MICE sector for the emirate’s economy.”
Through 2016, DWTC’s Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, DICEC, venue hosted 298 MICE and business events, including over 100 ‘mega-events’, delivering a record 3.03 million attendees, delegates and visitors to these events reflecting double digit year-on-year increase over 2015 traffic, the report said. With international participants growing 4 per cent each across the number of visitors and the number of exhibiting companies, DWTC’s venue welcomed over 1.05 million foreign business travellers to Dubai last year, representing a strong 45 per cent of its overall mega-event participant volumes.
