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A highly effective and profitable “festival industry” has emerged in the
Middle East with the annual staging of cultural and shopping extravaganzas
attracting millions of visitors and dollars to the region, according to
Saeed M. Al Nabouda, chief executive officer of the Dubai Shopping Festival
and Dubai Summer Surprises.
The region’s central location, attracting visitors from
Africa,
Asia
and Europe,
combined with the professional way festivals are managed, will ensure that
the Middle East is able to compete with Europe’s largest festivals, Al
Nabouda will claim in a major speech during Festívale, the Middle East’s
first convention for event organisers and destination management
professionals, from April 24 to 26 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
The Baalbeck Festival in Lebanon, Muscat Festival in Oman, February
Festival in Kuwait and the Dubai Shopping Festival in the UAE, have helped
increase the international profile of the region, generate employment,
income and goodwill.
Planners behind some of the world’s most famous festivals, such as the
Sydney Festival, Glastonbury music festival and Notting Hill Carnival, will
share their experiences during the three-day convention.
“There can be no doubt that a dedicated festival industry has been
created in the Middle East,” said Al Nabouda. “However these events are not
just month-long city parties, they are major events requiring meticulous
planning, preparation and management as well as lots of hard work.”
“It is an opportunity for a city to shine and show the world what it has
to offer. The social and economic benefits are also positive,” he added.
Dubai’s Shopping Festival (DSF), which successfully marked its 10th
anniversary this year, is the forerunner in establishing the region’s
festival culture. In 1996, DSF drew in 1.6 million visitors, in 2004 3.1
million people attended, and organisers are expecting that figure to
increase by as much as 10 per cent this year.
The 38-day long Muscat Festival in Oman, also recently concluded, was
forecasting tourist numbers to top 1.5 million, following an aggressive
regional-wide advertising and promotion campaign.
“Festivals staged in the Middle East are as well organised and as
comprehensive as anywhere else in the world. They are promoted and marketed
inline with other major international events, and this driving visitor
numbers up,” added Al Nabouda, who will deliver his speech on “Developing a
Festival Culture” during Festívale 2005.
More than 30 speakers from around the world, including Rod McGeoch, chief
executive of Sydney’s winning Olympic Games bid, and member of the Sydney
Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, will address the convention.
“Festivals in the Middle East have taken off in a big way, and there are
skilled professionals in the region who understand the importance of
marketing them correctly,” said Sabine Enthammer, executive director
conferences, IIR Middle East, organisers of Festívale 2005. “Festívale will
provide delegates with a unique insight from the world’s leading industry
experts into the aspect of what makes a good festival a ‘great festival’ and
how the events could be improved even further.”
Other speakers include Lisa Twomey, associate director, Sydney Festival;
Mike Richmond, managing director, International Festival of the Sea, and
William J, O’Toole, managing director, Event Project Management System,
Australia. |
