Research, Sales & Marketing Programme to debut in emirate in August

ICCA is to hold its first educational and networking event in Dubai this summer. The ICCA Middle East Research, Sales & Marketing Programme will take place from August 25-27 at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre.

This new addition to the ICCA calendar will feature educational sessions and workshops on research, sales and marketing topics, aimed at giving local professionals a fresh perspective on meetings management and the industry, enhance their professional skills, and provide connections and networks with colleagues in the region.

“The number of ICCA members in the Gulf and the Middle East region has grown from four members in 2000 to 14 in 2007, and we expect to have 20 members in the region in 2008. These members are demanding an education session which guarantees their long term success in the marketplace,” said Martin Sirk, CEO, ICCA.

Rob Davidson, one of Europe’s leading academic authorities on conference and incentive travel and senior lecturer in Business Travel and Tourism at the University of Westminster, will be the moderator of this new event.

“At this very important time for the Gulf and the Middle East as a booming destination for international conferences, this exciting ICCA programme is a must-attend event for anyone wishing to vastly improve their knowledge of how to attract meetings and incentive business to their venue, their city or their country,” said Davidson.

Dubai’s Convention Bureau has welcomed the move by ICCA to hold this educational event in the emirate.

“It is heartening to note that Dubai, besides emerging as a distinguished business and leisure destination, is also becoming a popular destination for international conferences. To achieve more and move up on the global popular conference destinations scale, we need to have deeper insight of the industry and share our experiences with our counterparts from around the world,” said Awadh Alketbi, executive director, Dubai Convention Bureau.

The aim of the ICCA Research Sales & Marketing Programme is to create a platform for networking, information exchange and transfer of know-how between colleagues for whom research sales and marketing activities in the international meetings market form an integral part of their responsibilities.

By means of informal sessions, the ICCA Research Sales & Marketing Programme teaches new, better and easier ways to research, identify and approach clients who organise meetings in different countries and therefore have the potential to meet in your destination or venue.

The Dubai event will include sessions on: Conference marketing segmentation; Exhibition skills, how to prepare yourself for an exhibition; Cooperation vs competition; and How to win bids.

Delegates will also benefit from a host of ICCA sessions, including a brief overview of what ICCA is and what services it offers, and a full day of intensive online skills and strategies training using the ICCA Association Database.

Those interested in attending the event can register at: www.iccaworld.com/dbs/me-programme2008

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