By: Mohit Hira, Jargon Group Dubai
Dubai is increasingly seen as a hub for global events and is home to an increasing number of ‘must see’ symposia each year. The Emirate has strategically positioned itself on the global stage by focusing on hosting high-value and well-known international events, conferences, and exhibitions which, combined with the leisure and lifestyle facilities of the region, make each an attractive destination for professionals and businesses alike.
A lookback at key events
One of the oldest and largest global events, The World Expo has played a key role in helping Dubai showcase its potential to serve as a hub for international events. In 2020, Dubai hosted Expo 2020, the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region and welcomed over 24 million visitors as a result.
Whether it’s the tallest skyscraper in the world or the tallest hotel, Dubai has a list of record-breaking attractions. The city has the same vision for the events it hosts, to make them the best. In fact, for the first time in the history of the World Expo, every nation had its own pavilion at Expo 2020 to share the best of their cultures, innovation and human progress.
Meanwhile, annual events such as Gitex and the Dubai Airshow are increasingly seen as important events for businesses and showcase the Emirate, with each one attracting significant numbers of international visitors to Dubai.
What’s the driving force?
When talking about the key factors contributing to Dubai’s growth, the strategic geographical location remains at the top. However, the location alone would not have benefited the Emirate without visionary leadership invested significantly in the city’s infrastructure and facilities.
Whether it’s Dubai’s International Airport, which seamlessly connects major cities or the World Trade Centre and Expo 2020 which are designed to accommodate massive gatherings, Dubai’s infrastructure and its modern technology and facilities are well up to the task of catering to the needs of international visitors representing all countries, sectors, cultures and communities.
Recently, Dubai hosted the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28). The number of core participants attending this flagship conference exceeded 65,000, beating the attendance at the previous COP 27 event in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt, by 80%.
Dubai seamlessly facilitated the entire conference at Expo City in Dubai. Nobody, based on the feedback, left disappointed by the event, the welcome or the facilities.
What’s in it for PR?
As more professionals and companies come to Dubai to participate in these increasing numbers of events, the need for PR in the region is growing exponentially too. It is our pleasure, within the Jargon Group, to work with a range of businesses in sectors from Aviation to Retail Technology who showcase themselves and their products here in the ‘Gulf Tiger’ City. The team and I look forward to supporting many more as they discover for themselves what an event in Dubai means for them and their businesses.
Ultimately, Dubai is on track with the vision set out by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum: “I want Dubai to be number one. Not in the region, but in the world.”
When it comes to exhibitions, symposia, showcases and events, Dubai certainly is on track to hit that target.