Dubai gets 'China-ready' as business footfalls see steady uptick

Dubai will continue its "China-ready" efforts to cash in on the steady growth in the number of business visitors from China, especially those enrolled in high-tech and service events during the past five years, said industry insiders.

As one of the most globalized cities in the United Arab Emirates and the world, Dubai is also becoming popular with Chinese businesses due to its vast business potential and convenient geographic location.

Steen Jakobsen, vice-president of Dubai Business Events, the official convention bureau of Dubai and a division of the department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said the number of Chinese tourists who visited Dubai rose by 12 percent to 857,000 in 2018, making it a top tourist nation.

"Dubai's rise as a business events destination has been a key contributor to this growth, with the city hosting conferences like the Dubai China Conference that took place on Sept 19 and 20 in 2018 with over 900 attendees," said Jakobsen, adding that the city is already scheduled to host another China-related big-ticket event in 2019 that will attract some 800 delegates.

"China continues to remain a top priority market for event organizers in Dubai, and therefore Chinese companies are always extended an invitation to participate at all major trade shows and exhibitions that take place in the city," he said.

Dubai World Trade Center, a major exhibition venue also observed an uptick in the number of Chinese visitors in the past five years.

"We have seen a 16 percent increase in the number of business visitors from China who have come to Dubai World Trade Center in the last five years," said Mahir Julfar, senior vice-president of venue services management of the DWTC. "The high-performing sectors for this key visitation market include healthcare, energy and environment, IT and finance, automotive and transport, and food and hospitality."

The hospitality sector was among the biggest beneficiaries of the increased footfalls. Palazzo Versace Dubai, a global luxury hotel chain, gained from the rising visitor numbers due to business exhibitions.

"Dubai tourism remains key to economic growth and we expect the Expo 2020 to further boost the city's business tourism," said Sandra Tikal, general manager of Palazzo Versace Dubai.

"China has played an important role in the growth of this business segment," Tikal said. She said due to Dubai's convenient location and visa on arrival policy, there was also an increasing demand for small-scale conference services from Chinese businesses.

"The close relationship between China and Dubai has strengthened even further over the recent past," said Jakobsen. "More recently, the city has taken a step further by demonstrating its willingness to become 'China-ready'".

He said the city's strategy to make visitors feel at home included collaboration with Chinese mobile payment giants Alipay and WeChat, employing Chinese-speaking staff across major hotels and hosting Chinese New Year celebrations across the city.