Mideast emerges as global business events powerhouse: report
Investment, ambition and diversification are at the heart of the Middle East's flourishing business events market, reveals the latest Regional Trends Report from IBTM World.
Projecting the region as 'one to watch', the much-anticipated report, unveiled at day three of Arabian Travel Market, takes a deep dive into the growing power of this fast-emerging business events destination in the global MICE industry.
From renewables to fintech and telecoms to space travel, growth is being nurtured in both new and existing industries, with businesses and brands in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar at the forefront of this.
As business grows, infrastructure is being built at breakneck speed to house the many meetings and events needed to support it. Talent from around the world is also following suit, with a new business or venue, as well as new infrastructure, opening every day in the Middle East. Alongside geo-adapted supply chains and a culturally creative offering, this is why some of the most impressive event brands in the world are making the thriving region their home.
Written by Managing Director of Eight PR & Marketing, Alistair Turner, the inaugural report also sheds light on the return of face-to-face events in the Middle East. In a business culture where in-person interactions are highly valued, around 70 per cent of meetings in the region now take place face-to-face, with just 30 per cent happening virtually or in a hybrid format.
Claudia Hall, IBTM World Exhibition Director, said: 'As the Middle East continues to entice event planners with evermore innovative and exciting opportunities, we're delighted to be able to provide event professionals with a snapshot of this exhilarating, dynamic and thriving region. It's important event professionals understand the landscape they're operating in, and this report does just that – giving them the knowledge and context they need to navigate everything the pioneering Middle Eastern events sector has to offer, and the contribution it can make to a flourishing business events industry of the future.' -TradeArabia News Service
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