Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (Adnec), Abu Dhabi’s strategic business enabling asset, contributed Dh1.32 billion ($353.82 million) directly and indirectly to the economy during the first half of this year, the company said.

The results demonstrate strong operating performance and continued growth, it said.

Adnec drew more than 812,000 visitors to its conferences and exhibitions at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and Al Ain Convention Centre in H1 2016.

With this achievement, Adnec's total direct and indirect economic impact has reached more than Dh23 billion, while its exhibition venues have welcomed over 12.5 million visitors since establishment in 2005, it said.

In H1 2016, Adnec hosted some 34 exhibitions, as well as 124 conferences and events, creating more than 7,000 job opportunities in supporting sectors of business tourism. Adnec has also succeeded in winning eight major international conference bids in H1 2016.

Noura Mohammed Al Kaabi, chairwoman of Adnec and Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs, said: “Adnec continues to help drive the ongoing diversification and growth of the Abu Dhabi economy, as a key catalyst for realising the Abu Dhabi Plan and Economic Vision 2030. Our impressive above-target results in terms of performance and footfall for the first six months of this year is a testament of our sustained commitment.  

“Abu Dhabi is steadily and surely gaining a prominent position as a leading city for business tourism in the region. This is a result of the continuous and immeasurable support from our wise government, that focuses on innovation, leadership in social and economic sectors, and the empowerment of Emirati talent.”

She added: “We are extremely proud of the talented UAE national workforce at Adnec that is managing the company’s events and programmes locally and internationally. Emiratisation at Adnec has increased to 56 per cent of total staff compared to 52 per cent in the same period in 2015 - with Emiratis occupying 86 per cent of senior management positions. Emirati women have also played an important role in driving the company’s success and represent 40 per cent of the total national workforce. We are also delighted to be a preferred employer of choice for talented minds from across the globe with more than 18 diverse nationalities working together in harmony.”

“It is vital for the future competiveness of Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE that we continue to provide an attractive environment for exhibitions, conferences and sectors to come to Abu Dhabi and experience what we have to offer in terms of business tourism. We will continue to work hard to deliver further growth. Our commitment is evident in the Group’s dynamic transition plans that serve as a blueprint for excellence and the fact that some of the world’s largest and most prestigious organisations are increasingly choosing to use our venues.”

Additionally, ExCeL London also continued to develop in cooperation with its strategic partners in H1 2016 - hosting 64 exhibitions, 125 conferences and events, and drawing 1.47 million visitors to date.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, acting group CEO of Adnec, said: “We are pleased to have achieved such significant growth and success in H1 2016 that can be attributed to the performance of Adnec’s network of conference and exhibition centres in the UAE and the UK. We are now in a position to leverage the strengths of both destinations and their position as two prominent business and technology focused hubs to drive the further growth of the group as a whole.”

He added: “Al Ain Convention Centre has successfully attracted a number of major events and conferences in H1 2016 and footfall exceeded the expected target by 6 per cent. At the same time, Adnec continued its major efficiency and rationalisation programme, which delivered savings on direct and fixed costs well below the estimated budget. Moreover, services provided to exhibitors and event organisers exceeded expectations and led to the Group’s hotels witnessing strong performance in the first half of 2016.

“We are confident about our prospects in the second half of 2016 with the overall economic outlook remaining highly positive. As our strategic priority for the next six months, we aim to invest further in the development of our facilities and services to remain competitive, while ensuring that our venues are capable of meeting the evolving requirements of the industry.”

Al Dhaheri also pointed out: “The conferences and exhibitions sector is growing but faces increasing competition around the world. This means we have to remain ahead of the competition in order to achieve our ultimate goals. I am confident that Adnec is well-prepared for the future and will remain a venue of choice across our international network for the world’s leading organisations.” - TradeArabia News Service