The UAE will cement its role as the leading MICE destination in the Middle East, when Abu Dhabi hosts its first International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Congress.
Hundreds of meetings and events professionals from 90 different markets will arrive in the UAE capital on 20 October, for the 63rd edition of the conference made up of three days of workshops, talks and panel discussions.
Putting Abu Dhabi on the global stage, attendees will also have the chance to experience the best of the Middle Eastern city from its air connectivity to its 5-star hospitality, state-of-the-art infrastructure and innovative entertainment. They’ll also see firsthand the memorable events that city is capable of hosting within the Abu Dhabi Convention and Exhibition Bureau (ADCEB).
Mubarak Al Shamsi, the Director ADCEB, said the city is proud to welcome the global meetings industry and contribute to the future of the rapidly evolving events sector.
“Over the course of three days, attendees will discover numerous valuable opportunities to drive positive change in their professional growth, within their organisations, and across the broader industries,” Mr Al Shamsi added.
The UAE currently dominates the MICE industry in the Middle East with a 50% market share worth $5.62 billion in 2024. Dubai was recently declared the ‘World’s Best MICE Destination’ at the 5th annual World MICE Awards, where it was also recognised for having the ‘Best Convention Centre’ and ‘Best Professional Exhibitions Organiser’.
Hosting the ICCA Congress in Abu Dhabi will boost the UAE’s status in the sector and contribute to the emirate goal of attracting 39.3 million visitors annually by 2030 and creating 178,000 new tourism jobs.
Senthil Gopinath, the Chief Executive Officer of ICCA, believes the Abu Dhabi event will be “outstanding” with an impressive program designed to inspire, educate and instruct.
“We can’t wait to show you what we have in store,” he said.
Under the theme of ‘Tomorrow Starts Today’, the conference will have over 70 sessions including panel discussions, keynote addresses and workshops. These sessions will be interspersed with networking events to encourage knowledge exchange, destination promotion and business development.
Special guests have been invited to speak at this year’s event including Secretary General of UN Tourism Zurab Pololikshvili, who will discuss the UN’s commitment to fostering tourism development and sustainable growth. Also on the agenda is a panel discussion titled ‘Navigating Event Trends for 2025’, which will provide research-backed insights into the future of event planning. ‘Transforming Events: Empowering Inclusion Through Neurodiversity’ will delve into the transformative power of neurodiversity in event planning, while ‘Winning Bids: A Hands-On Introduction to ICCA Skills’ is an interactive workshop that will offer a practical, engaging introduction to the strategies and insights that have shaped winning bids across the globe.
