Dubai Business Events Honours Al Safeer Congress Ambassadors during Annual Networking Event

Programme recognizes initiatives led by UAE professionals in driving Dubai’s growth as a premier business events destination

 Dubai Business Events (DBE), Dubai’s official convention bureau, honoured members of its ‘Al Safeer’ programme for their efforts in helping to bring international conferences and events to the city, at its annual Congress Ambassador Networking event on 1st March.

The event, which took place at the Conrad Hotel in Dubai, brought together over 200 ambassadors, including prominent doctors, scientists, businessmen and government officials from across the Emirate. The event paid tribute to 45 high-profile individuals and organisations for their outstanding performance in attracting and hosting international conferences and business events in Dubai, championing the city’s Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry and fortifying its position as a premier business events destination.

Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), said: “We are extremely pleased to be hosting this event again to honour the Al Safeer programme ambassadors who share our vision to drive global knowledge exchange and foster thought leadership. We have seen great results from the programme and are confident that it will help us to continue to position Dubai as a premier host city for international conferences and events. As Dubai and the UAE transition towards a knowledge economy, international meetings and events play a vital role in demonstrating the scale of our ambition in finding solutions to worldwide challenges, the diversity of our economy, and our keenness to collaborate.”

During the event, DBE reflected on a year of success and growth for the business events industry, providing an update on key highlights from 2016, outlining the bureau’s plans of attracting and hosting international conferences in Dubai in 2017 and highlighting the key role that the Al Safeer Programme ambassadors play.

Commenting on the event, Steen Jakobsen, Director of Dubai Business Events, added: “The Al Safeer Programme consists of a powerful network of inspiring individuals, both UAE Nationals and expatriates working in Dubai, who are advocates for Dubai’s business events industry. The programme galvanises their competencies and allows them to leverage the impartial services provided by DBE to bid for and ultimately bring the full spectrum of business events in their field to Dubai. This has enabled us to drive the growth of business tourism in Dubai and maintain its position as a top conference destination on a global scale.”

Translating to ‘The Ambassador’, the Al Safeer Congress Ambassadors Programme was established by DBE in 2010 with the aim to engage Dubai based scientists, business professionals and organizations and tap on their expertise and connections to identify and attract conferences and meetings to Dubai. Al Safeer Ambassadors range from pioneering subject matter experts and leading academics to innovative surgeons and prominent people in UAE business who are committed to driving awareness about Dubai as a thriving business events destination and global knowledge hub.

In 2016, the Programme recruited over 200 new ambassadors, increasing the network to over 350 industry leaders, professionals from various fields and sectors. Through the network members’ relations to international institutions and associations, DBE assisted with and managed 52 bids for international conferences, of which 25 were won. Notable wins included Congress of the Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology Annual Congress 2017, World Congress of Cardiology 2018 and World Down Syndrome Congress 2020.

About Dubai Business Events – the Official Convention Bureau                                                                                                                 

Dubai Business Events (DBE) – the Official Convention Bureau, aims to further develop and increase Dubai's share of the international business events market in order to grow economic development, jobs and knowledge creation in the emirate. DBE’s main goal, as a division of Dubai Tourism, is to establish the Emirate as a premier business event destination by helping organizers of international meetings, incentives, congresses and exhibitions plan and manage every aspect of their event. As a member of BestCities Global Alliance DBE aim to deliver the world's best service experience for the meeting industry.

About Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism)

With the ultimate vision of positioning Dubai as the world’s leading tourism destination and commercial hub, Dubai Tourism’s mission is to increase the awareness of Dubai among global audiences and to attract tourists and inward investment into the emirate. Dubai Tourism is the principal authority for the planning, supervision, development and marketing of Dubai’s tourism sector. It markets and promotes the Emirate’s commerce sector, and is responsible for the licensing and classification of all tourism services, including hotels, tour operators and travel agents. Brands and departments within the Dubai Tourism portfolio include Dubai Convention and Events Bureau, Dubai Calendar, and Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (formerly known as Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment). In addition to its headquarters in Dubai, Dubai Tourism operates 20 offices worldwide.