Dubai was named the top global destination for association meetings in 2021, a report of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) reveals.
The new ICCA Statistics Report ranked Dubai the number one city in 2021 both for the number of meetings organized by international associations and estimated participants.
The Gulf city was one of the first destinations to resume in-person business events after the Covid-19 pause, hosting events as early as October 2020.
Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, said that the ranking shows that the restart of business events is a priority for the city.
Dubai’s number one ranking reflects the priority placed on restarting business events in Dubai and engaging with the association community to highlight the city’s readiness and safety measures.
Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism
He added that the city continues to collaborate with international associations to speed up the recovery of their respective sectors.
We continue to work closely with international associations to ensure that Dubai can provide a platform for their business events and add momentum to the recoveries of the respective professions and industries they serve.
Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism
According to Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, meeting planners and association executives now want to organize their meetings in safe and stable destinations, and that have a wide variety of offerings. Our partners from across the city have once again stepped up to ensure that Dubai is able to present a unified and comprehensive proposition to a global audience,” he added.
Dubai showcased its brilliance in hosting business events at the IMEX Frankfurt 2022 edition, the world’s leading meetings industry exhibition. Dubai participated with its largest ever delegation, highlighting its position at the forefront of the business event sector’s recovery.
