DWTC injecting power into UAE economy

DUBAI / OUR CORRESPONDENT

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the flagship venue for world-class events, is all set to host 22 mega-trade events in this month alone which is set to draw over a quarter million visitors.
As a pivotal arm in Dubai’s efforts to diversify its economy, DWTC will host events across core sectors including ICT (information and computer technology), healthcare and maritime, reinforcing the Emirate’s position as a global commercial and leisure destination.
Leading among these is the region’s longstanding maritime luxury event, the 24th Dubai International Boat Show, taking place from March 1-5 at the Dubai International Marine Club. Attracting 800 exhibitors from more than 120 countries, and nearly 28,000 visitors from over 120 countries, the event has evolved into a key pillar of Dubai’s event calendar.
Commenting on DWTC’s role in driving the region’s event sector, Ahmed Alkhaja, Senior Vice President —
Venues, DWTC, said, “DWTC strives to
enhance Dubai’s vision as an attractive city for businesses across the MENASA (Middle east North Africa and South Asia) region.”
“We continue to deliver year-on-year growth on our core MICE business which shows the opportunity and stability of our industry. In order to support the demand, we aim to diversify our calendar of events and continue to expand our infrastructure to provide a world-class venue catering to any size and scale,” added Alkhaja.
With a vision to make Dubai the world’s leading destination for all major exhibitions, conferences and events, DWTC has evolved from being the regional forerunner of the fast growing MICE industry into a multi-dimensional business catalyst. It is focussing on venues, events and real estate management.
Complementary to the primary service offerings are a range of value added services from media, advertising, engineering and technical consultation and wedding planning, security services and an award winning hospitality portfolio.
DWTC is also constantly upgrading its facilities to match the global standards and to meet the business aspirations of the top-notch corporate players. The recent expansion saw an addition of three new halls, named Za’abeel 4, 5 and 6 located adjacent to the existing Za’abeel Halls. From March 1-3, various leading shows will take place concurrently at the expanded venue These include ‘Middle East Electricity’, ‘Paperworld Middle East’, ‘Playworld Middle East’ and ‘Global Education Solutions Summit’. Combined, they will bring together approximately 38,000 visitors and over 2,800 exhibitors.
This will be followed by CABSAT, the leading platform for the broadcast and satellite sectors across the MEASA region, running from March 8-9. Attracting broadcast, satellite and entertainment content professionals from across the region, the market is projected to be worth $66 billion by 2018.
With a growing demand for healthcare, DWTC will also host Dubai International Pharmaceuticals and Technologies Conference and Exhibition (DUPHAT) from March 15-17 and Arab Lab from March 20-23. The events will focus on healthcare spending in the Middle East and North Africa as it is estimated to reach $144 billion by 2020, following enormous development witnessed over the last decade.
By the end of the month, GITEX Shopper Spring returns with a new spin-off event Shopper Smart Living from March 30 to April 2. Smart living is playing a pivotal role in the GCC construction industry leading to a positive home appliance industry forecast of nearly $1 billion over the next 2 years.