Sultan Bin Tahnoon Discusses Partnership Opportunities With High-Level German Delegation

His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC), held talks yesterday with a high-level German delegation to discuss development of the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) industry and explore long term strategic partnerships .

The German delegation comprised H.E. Jörg Bode, Minister of Economics, Labour and Transport of Lower Saxony; H.E. Klaus-Peter Brandes, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the UAE; and Dr. Wolfram v. Fritsch, Chairman of Deutsche Messe in Hannover. Also, present at the meeting, held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, were Simon Horgan, CEO of ADNEC Group; Humaid Al Dhaheri, Director, Finance & Human Resources, ADNEC and Lawrence Franklin, Director, Strategy & Policy, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA).

At the meeting, H.E. Sheikh Sultan highlighted Abu Dhabi’s emergence as a global MICE destination and drew attention to projects currently under development at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. He said the meeting marked a step towards stronger cooperation and possible joint investments between Abu Dhabi and Germany, which enjoys a leadership position in the global exhibition industry.

Highlighting the role played by exhibitions in supporting Abu Dhabi’s 2030 vision, Sheikh Sultan explained the importance of the MICE sector in the growth of the emirate’s tourism industry. He pointed out that business travel remained a cornerstone for the local economy and Europe’s MICE sector was a major focus for Abu Dhabi.

Delivering a presentation on various ADTA initiatives that complement Plan Abu Dhabi 2030, ADTA’s Lawrence Franklin said significant support was provided by the Authority for activities associated with the MICE sector.
He elaborated ADTA’s plans to enhance Abu Dhabi’s tourism products, including the Yas Marina F1 circuit, Ferrari World and efforts at benchmarking hotel quality.

Germany’s success in attracting major international exhibitions was also discussed at the meeting.

Deutsche Messe in Hannover, Germany, owns one of the world’s largest exhibition centers. The venue first opened its doors in August 1947 and hosts a range of international exhibitions including CeBIT and the Hannover Messe. The exhibition venue covers 496,000 square meters of indoor space with 27 halls and pavilions, 35 function rooms and parking for 50,000 cars.
 

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