Revealed: Dubai ranked as top global destination for business events

Dubai has been named the number one destination globally for association meetings and business events in 2021 by a report of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).

The newly-published ICCA Statistics Report, published by state news agency WAM, ranked Dubai the top city in 2021 both for the number of meetings organised by international associations and estimated participants at these events.

Dubai is showcasing its excellence in hosting business events at the 2022 edition of IMEX Frankfurt, the world’s leading meetings industry exhibition, with its largest ever delegation at the trade show.

The record participation underlines Dubai’s position at the forefront of the global business event sector’s recovery and the strong interest from meeting planners across the world to explore the city’s offerings and capabilities.

Dubai was among the first destinations to resume in-person business events after the Covid-19 pandemic, opening itself to hosting international meetings and attendees as early as October 2020.

Read: Dubai issues guidelines to restart exhibitions, live events and concerts

Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, said, “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. 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.”

Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said, “We continue to see a robust and growing appetite among meeting planners and association executives to rebuild their event calendars and collaborate with destinations that can provide them with safety, stability and a diverse range 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.”