these are just a few. And luxury continues to be the focus with standards rising along with the skyline. While most destinations structure their room stock in the same way an airline configures an aircraft larger economy class, medium-sized business class and a small first class Dubai turns the formula on its head with 75 percent of all star-rated room stock being four and five-star. This is what makes luxury afford- able. Competition brings prices down and that's good news for group travel planners. But the lower tiered hotels have also been coming on-stream, if a little slowly, and Dubai realises their importance, particularly as it has been eyeing the asso- ciation sector and major rotational events.


2011 has been the destination's most successful year-to-date in attracting international congresses. December 2011 will see more than 15,000 arrivals for the World Diabetes Congress, while other major events in 2011 have included the UITP International Conference, Microsoft TechEd and the Human Genome Conference. With the success and further expansion


of Dubai Healthcare City, as well as the demand for healthcare development throughout the region, Dubai is becoming a hub for the pharmaceutical and medical companies to meet. It is a place where they can witness the potential and estab- lish plans for their further development throughout the region.


The infrastructure to assist in the plan-


ning of association meetings has also come on in leaps and bounds. Dedicated PCO services are available through companies like Congress Solutions International (CSI a division of Emirates Group) and MCI, which also partners with Dubai Convention Bureau in the Dubai Bid Alliance.


Almost 60 percent of the conferences organised by CSI in the last year in Dubai and Abu Dhabi (2010 to 2011) were for the pharmaceutical sector compared to just 20 to 25 percent of its business share the year before, showing tremendous growth. "This was across many sectors, including orthopaedics, diabetes and cardiovascular," explained CSI manager Alexandre Lolliot.


Dubai Bid Alliance guarantees flexible rates for event organisers


Launched in 2009 under the auspices of the Dubai Convention Bureau, the Dubai Bid Alliance (DBA) offers support to congress event organisers, particularly in arranging accommodation for visiting delegates. With more than 25,000 delegates expected in Dubai in 2011 alone as a result of association congresses, DCB plays a key role in facilitating the development of Dubai's meetings industry sector.


The number of hotel rooms now available to the DBA exceeds 20,000 across a variety of star ratings. The inclusion of these rooms in the DBA programme ensures flexible terms and stable room rates for congress planners who are planning large events in Dubai.


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Founding DBA committee members include the Dubai Convention Bureau, Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Emirates airline, and a variety of other congress stakeholders based in Dubai. Discussing the success of the alliance to date, Jerad Bachar, director of the Dubai Convention Bureau said: "The Dubai Bid Alliance continues to grow through additional alliance partners. The program gives us a chance to deliver a strong, unified message to large-scale congress organisers. Dubai has been ideally constructed to host these types of events. Beyond the obvious infrastructure, the DBA helps deliver the message that Dubai is qualified to hold these events with ease and efficiency."


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