Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of ADNEC, said: “The business tourism sector is an important part of Abu Dhabi’s visitor mix and we are pleased to be working with Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority to showcase the Emirate’s attractions to local, regional and international audiences.

“Targeting the MICE industry in Europe is a major focus for us. We are happy to be participating in IMEX 2012 and we are confident that the event will be a great success, as it has proven to be in the past.”

International MICE events provide valuable opportunities to exchange information with peers and develop trade relations. IMEX 2012 gives ADNEC a platform for raising awareness of its services and facilities among customers, and for showcasing its latest developments. This year, ADNEC will be sharing its experience of hosting the World Ophthalmology Congress 2012, which was attended by more than 10,000 professionals from 126 countries.

“ADNEC is working hard to bring more international conferences and meetings to Abu Dhabi. We want to strengthen our partnerships with international event organisers. This focus on customers will contribute both to the enhancement and the growth of the MICE sector in Abu Dhabi,” Al Dhaheri added.

Al Dhaheri believes developing these relationships will prove crucial in the development of the industry and its economic impact on Abu Dhabi. Ultimately, they will contribute to strengthening the Emirate’s position as an increasingly popular MICE destination.

In tandem with Abu Dhabi’s growing popularity for the MICE sector, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre continues to register growth in the number of the events hosted each year. In 2011, ADNEC hosted 231 events, a 65 per cent year-on-year increase over 2010.

Earlier this year, ADNEC announced the launch of ICC (International Convention Centre) Abu Dhabi, a flexible high tech facility within Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre which aims to attract international conferences and help meet the needs of a wide range of customers.  

ADNEC is meeting with leading international event organiser at IMEX 2012 and promoting its facilities at both Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and Al Ain Convention Centre.

ADNEC owns and operates Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, which provides 73,000 square meters of internal exhibition space in the Abu Dhabi capital. It is one of the largest and most modern event venues in the region, and one of few in the world that can host indoor, outdoor and quayside events.

ADNEC is also promoting Capital Centre, the world’s premier exhibitions and lifestyle destination, adjacent to Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Once complete, the project will include 23 towers comprising administrative, commercial and residential buildings, as well as a number of hotels such as Hyatt Capital Gate. This five-star hotel adds luxurious accommodation with 189 rooms and suites, complementing the Aloft hotel’s 408 rooms directly linked to the exhibition centre.

More than 4,000 new hotel rooms in the vicinity of ADNEC have been added to the supporting business tourism infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, further strengthening the MICE industry proposition.