The
International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has
expressed its confidence in the continued growth in the international
association meetings market segment of the Middle East region. Aiming
to play a significant role in the industry’s further growth, ICCA
has opened its first Middle East regional office in September last
year, which is leveraging the association’s key expertise in the
international association meetings sector -offering unrivalled data,
communication channels and business development
opportunities to its members.
“Since
we opened last September, our regional office in the Middle East has
picked up its pace and is now working at full speed. Establishing our
presence in the region isn't simply a move to deliver better services
to our existing members in this region, but also a recognition that
the international association meetings market is continuing to
evolve, and it is in the growth of regional meetings in the Middle
East that we anticipate some of the most dramatic future
developments,” said Arnaldo Nardone, President, ICCA. “This
implies is that there is going to be more businessfor our
existing members in the Middle East, more new events to identify and
add to the ICCA Association Database, more new infrastructure
developments, more understanding of the strategic importance of
association events by city and national governments, and more
interest in ICCA by potential new members. It is strategically
important for ICCA to build a long-term presence in the Middle East
market.”
ICCA
has named Gamal Sadek from Al Ketbi Consultancy as the
newly-appointed Dubai-based ICCA Regional Director for the Middle
East. Sadek brings a wealth of experience in frontline sales and
marketing and in-depth knowledge of the meetings industry in the
region. Prior to assuming his post at the ICCA, Sadek underwent
months of intensive training on ICCA products and services. In fact,
the new regional director is looking forward to his first official
event as the association’s official representative to this year’s
edition of the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel &
Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM), which will take place from March 25 to
March 27, 2013 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).
“My
top priority is to make sure that every ICCA member in the Middle
East knows that they’ve now got a friendly point of contact to help
them get the maximum value out of their ICCA membership, to make them
aware of how to use the ICCA network, the database, and the full
range of ICCA services,” said Sadek.
ICCA
now has five regional offices in addition to its Head Office in
Amsterdam, with established operations already serving Asia-Pacific,
North- and Latin America, and new regional offices in the Middle East
and Africa.
ICCA
specialises in the international association meetings sector,
offering unrivalled data, communication channels,
and business development opportunities, and is celebrating
its 50th anniversary in 2013.
