Dubai set to host 6,000 Chinese execs as tourism push continues
Dubai will welcome 6,000 members of the worldwide Chinese insurance and financial industry next week for a prestigious awards ceremony as tourism chiefs continue to chase visitors from China.
The 2015 International Dragon Award Annual Meeting will be held outside Asia Pacific for the first time and it comes at a time when the emirate’s inbound visitor numbers from China are hitting new highs.
Speaking at a press conference, Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Tourism, revealed that overnight visitor numbers from China in the first six months of 2015 reached 241,000 guests, a 25 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
Kazim said: “Dubai’s hosting of this important and highly anticipated Chinese industry event is testament to the efforts being made by tourism stakeholders to position the emirate as a premier destination for business and leisure travel.
"China is a very important inbound market for Dubai, and the emirate is making big efforts to attract more Chinese visitors.”
IDA 2015 will see delegates from 17 countries gather in Dubai, and comes as a result of concerted efforts by Dubai Tourism and Dubai Business Events (DBE), a division of Dubai Tourism, to strengthen ties with key markets such as China.
Kazim added: “We are honoured that Dubai was selected as the first city outside of the Asia Pacific to host the International Dragon Award 2015 event, and we are very much looking forward to showcasing this remarkable city to the thousands of delegates who will be attending.
"Dubai is particularly well suited for Chinese visitors thanks to its high standards of hospitality and vast array of leisure attractions which include some of the best hotels and shopping malls in the world, and we look forward to welcoming the delegation,” he said.
Richard Wu, chairman of the IDA 2015 Annual Meeting, said: “We chose Dubai not only because it is one of the most attractive tourism destinations in the world, but also because it has a state-of-the-art business and convention center which is equipped with all the latest facilities.”
