Dubai World Trade Centre recognised as Best in Class At Middle East Events Awards 2011

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the region’s premier event organiser and operator of the largest exhibition venue in the Middle East, won top honours last night (Wednesday) at one the event industry’smost important awards ceremonies. In yet another endorsement of its world class facilities and exceptional products and services, a distinguished panel of industry experts judged DWTC as Best Purpose-Built Events Venue for the second year running and named Dubai International Boat Show, organised by DWTC, as Best Consumer Exhibitionat the annual Middle East Event Awards.

Recognising and rewarding excellence in the region’s event industry, the Middle East Event Awards, organised by IIR, part of the Informa Group, are some of the region’s most sought after honours in the industry.

Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre, said it was a great honour to win the awards: “The region’s events industry is committed to providing world class products and attracting global business leaders, andit is vital that we continue to fully support the growth of Middle East businesses. As the hub of the exhibitions industry, Dubai is ideally placed to play a leading role in that drive and Dubai World Trade Centre will strive to consistently deliver world class events to a global audience. These awards are a highly prized endorsement of the strides DWTC has made and a reflection of the tireless efforts of our partners and employees.”

The accolades follow in the wake of DWTC’s recent win at The World Travel Awards (WTA) as Leading Meetings & Conference Centre – its eleventh consecutive WTA title – and are a clear indication of the company’s unwavering commitment to quality, both in terms of facilities and services. This continued recognition is also a reflection of the rise in footfall at DWTC, with a record 14% increase in visitors to exhibitions, conventions and conferences at the venue during 2010, which welcomed 1.4 million visitors through its doors.

DWTC provides the foundation for the region’s rapidly expanding events sector through world class infrastructure, facilities and services and more than one million square feet of covered exhibition space. Over the last year, Dubai has secured eight additional international conventions, another indication of its position as the leading gateway between East and West for global industries. All of the conventions and congresses will be hosted at Dubai World Trade Centre, including the World Congress of Cardiology, the World Diabetes Congress and the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) World Congress. These conventions complement DWTC’s diverse calendar of events which include key sectors such as healthcare, education, aviation, ICT (Information & Communication Technology), construction, food, trade & logistics.

Dubai International Boat Show, the region’s largest and longest running leisure marine event, was named Middle Best Consumer Exhibition. As one of the top five international boat shows in the world, the 2011 edition generated an estimated AED1 billion worth of business for the boating and leisure marine community and has successfully acted as the lynchpin of global marine investment into the region for 19 years.

The top accolade reflects the constant drive not only for business excellence, but also for the consistently high calibre of exhibitors and visitors which make the show an essential date in the marine calendar.

Helal Saeed Almarri said: “It is a great honour for the show to be recognised as the region’s premier consumer event. The volume of business conducted at this year’s show and the quality of exhibitors has been exceptional.

“Dubai International Boat Show is an excellent barometer of the renewed confidence in the Middle East leisure marine sector and the global demand for expansion into the market. Year after year, we set new standards set and achieve new goals, and for the 20^th anniversary edition in 2012, we are looking forward to the most impressive event in the show’s history.”

More than 26,000 visitors attended the five day show at the Dubai International Marine Club in March this year, which welcomed more members of the Superyacht Builders Association (SYBAss) than ever before in its history and featured the inaugural Supercar Promenade.

With more than 750 international companies and brands taking part and a record 41 regional and global launches, this year’s event once again highlighted the unrivalled influence of the Dubai International Boat Show to the Middle East leisure marine industry.