Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) hosted an international delegation from North America with the aim of familiarizing them with Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre as a preferred destination for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) and creating more awareness about its world-class facilities, cutting edge infrastructure and strategic location.

During the visit, which was organized in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau and Etihad Airways, Khalifa Al Qubaisi, the Acting Chief Commercial Officer of ADNEC, highlighted the immense potential of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre with its state-of-the-art facilities, luxury accommodations, customized event solutions and the latest in technology.

Abu Dhabi is gearing up for an exciting events season ahead, Al Qubaisi said, which includes the World Energy Congress to be held in September next year, the World Road Congress to be held in October next year, and the 2019 Special Olympics World Games to be hosted in March next year featuring the participation of more than 7,000 athletes from over 170 countries. Further, a series of specialized medical conferences were also slated to be held in the coming years, including the World Urban Forum 2020, the International Federation of Esthetic Dentistry (IFED) World Congress in 2021, the World Congress of Nephrology 2020 and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) 2023, he added.

Al Qubaisi said: “We welcome the representatives of international institutions and organizations from North America here in Abu Dhabi and ADNEC. The emirate has become a major destination in the region for hosting leading meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions as well as business tourism, thanks to its advanced infrastructure and strategic location that is accessible for major global markets. It has also emerged as a global cultural centre with the world’s most modern conference and exhibition facilities, in addition to many world-class hotels and specialized professional competencies. We emphasize that the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre is all set and prepared to host international events and provide the organizers with the needed support with its state-of-the-art facilities and high-quality event management and planning services.”

The visiting delegation comprised key representatives and association planners from international institutions and organizations from North America, which included Dorothy Ofori, from the International Federation of Accountants; William Drohan, form Drohan Management - Academy for Eating Disorders; Louis Shomette, Psychonomic Society; Sergei Zelenev, from the International Council on Social Welfare; Emilio Rosa, from SKYPASS Travel and Christian C Krueger, from the American Express Meetings & Events Management provider.  

The Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, which was inaugurated in February 2007 by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, hosted over 442 events last year. It provides exhibitions, conferences and live event organizers, around 133,000 Sqm of indoor and outdoor floor space. The centre focuses on hosting events and activities on vital sectors including health, petrochemicals, renewable energy, education and technology in addition to real state, sports, security and defense.

In 2012, the center hosted the World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC), which attracted over 12,000 international delegates including specialized doctors and practitioners, and last year, it organized the World Diabetes Congress, along with many other leading events and congresses. The centre has contributed significantly to the development and growth of the business tourism sector in Abu Dhabi, as part of its strategy to promote the Emirate’s diversity of income streams. In 2017, ADNEC contributed to AED 3.89 billion to Abu Dhabi’s economy and attracted over 2.082 million visitors, which helped increase hotel occupancy in the emirate to more than 693,000 guest nights and supported the development of local industries, particularly those pertaining to knowledge and trade.