MENALAC Postpones LEA Conference and MENALAC Awards Gala to June 2020 Due to Coronavirus

Middle East and North Africa Leisure Attractions Council (MENALAC) announces new dates for LEA Conference as June 14, 2020 and MENALAC Awards as June 16, 2020 

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 08, 2020:   Middle East and North Africa Leisure Attractions Council (MENALAC), the industry council representing the Middle East’s growing leisure attractions sector, today announced the postponement of its Leisure Entertainment & Attraction Industry Conference and The MENALAC GALA + Leisure Industry Awards –due to the global outbreak of the Coronavirus (Covid19).

The Leisure Entertainment Attractions (LEA) Conference, will now be held on June 14, 2020 and the MENALAC Awards Gala on June 16, 2020.

The initiative is part of MENALAC’s pro-active move to ensure a healthy and effective participation free from the concerns owing to the outbreak and spread of the Coronavirus that has claimed more than 3,000 lives globally.

Prakash Vivekanand, Secretary-General of MENALAC, says, “Health and well-being of our members and industry stakeholders are of utmost importance to us and after careful consideration of the situation, the Board of Directors of MENALAC decided to postpone the LEA Conference and MENALAC Awards Gala to June 2020”. 

MENALAC’s decision to postpone was also influenced by the postponement of DEAL 2020, the region’s premier leisure & entertainment exhibition, which has moved its dates to June 15-17, 2020 from March 23-25, 2020.

“As the whole world reels from the impact of Coronavirus outbreak, we, as the leisure industry, have also been impacted. Given the travel restrictions imposed by many countries in the MENA Region and Globally, it would have made it very difficult for Speakers, Delegates and Members to travel to Dubai to attend these important events that have grown in prominence for the industry over the years. It was prudent on our part to postpone the event.”
 

The Annual MENALAC Awards that celebrates the industry excellence, outstanding performance and achievements in various facets of the leisure and entertainment industry has elicited excellent response with over 111 Entries vying for top honours across the 24 award categories.

The 4th LEA Conference has attracted an excellent line up of speakers comprising of senior members from Governmental & Regulatory Authorities, industry Experts and Panellists from across the MENA Region and the globe. The event had also received registrations of over 100 delegates.

“The Industry has been very understanding of the situation the world is facing today and are all in favour of this postponement. They have also reaffirmed their support to the event in June 2020”, added Mr. Prakash Vivekanand. 

MENALAC members benefit from a number of industry-related initiatives undertaken by MENALAC that is raising their profile of the regional leisure industry.

MENALAC provides a platform for the industry to represent itself as one. It improves operating standards via educational forums and represents the industry as a whole to authorities and regulatory bodies in the MENA region.