USD 1.3 billion GCC MICE industry poised for robust growth

October 19, 2014: According to recent statistics, the GCC’s USD 1.3 billion Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry is set for continuous growth and expansion. Alpen Capital’s latest report stated that the number of international association meetings in the region has more than tripled over the last 10 years, earning for the Gulf global prestige as a popular meeting and incentive hub. The MICE industry is one of the key growth drivers for the region’s burgeoning economy, making significant contributions through income and employment along with attracting substantial foreign investment.

The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman have emerged as the top three MICE destinations in the region because of their state-of-the-art infrastructure and facilities such as world-class venues for conferences and seminars and a well-developed hospitality industry, supported by their strategic location and easy connectivity with the rest of the world.

The UAE boasts nearly 50 per cent of the USD 1 trillion construction projects currently underway in the GCC, enabling it to emerge as the top MICE destination in the region. With its successful bid to host World Expo 2020, the UAE will continue its lead through its well-established business events industry. Dubai, host to almost 27 per cent of all events staged in the region, is set to welcome more than 25 million visitors over a period of six months during the Expo. Abu Dhabi, on the other hand, generates USD 700 million from its MICE sector and is forecasted to grow at an annual rate of 7 per cent to reach USD 1.4 billion by 2020. 

dmg events, an internationalevents company with an office located in Dubai, is a key player in the GCC’s thriving MICE sector. It has facilitated the growth of the sector by hosting a series of high-profile and industry-relevant exhibitions and conferences. It currently organizes 25 annual events across the MENA region, which include The Big 5 in Dubai, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, The Hotel Show and Leisure Show in Dubai, , the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), the International Design Exhibition (INDEX), Middle East Concrete, and PMV Live, among others.  

Simon Mellor, President, dmg events- Middle East & Asia, said: “The GCC’s MICE industry has witnessed an exponential growth, contributing towards the region’s economic stability. Like in any country, the sector, which is instrumental in furthering organizational objectives and success, plays a fundamental role in the UAE’s overall economic development. For one, meetings, conventions and exhibitions create economic value with increased travel and hospitality spending by MICE visitors who combine participations in events with leisure. More importantly, business events consistently provide powerful platforms for creating new information and fresh insights3, helping boost the grand vision of the UAE leaders towards transforming the country into one of the world’s knowledge economies. The public and private sectors have also made substantial investments to upgrade transport and hospitality infrastructure along with venues for conferences, exhibitions, concerts and sports in a bid to attract more business visitors. dmg events helps drive this growth through its international experience and professional expertise in organizing large-scale events across various industry segments. We extend our support and cooperation to the GCC as it becomes the focal point for some of the world’s leading international MICE events”.