LURING THE ASIAN MARKET Dubai, meanwhile, has ramped up its efforts to attract the attention of Asian meeting planners. DCB last year launched dedicated packages to tempt Asian incentive planners, offering perks ranging from visas for VIPs to tickets to Dubai landmarks such as Burj Khalifa, depending on the size of the group. “We offer these to any meeting planners that approach our offices in
China, to bring a meeting or incentive group to Dubai,” says DCS’s Lance. “The Indian incentives market doesn’t need as much encouragement as China’s, as agents there are already familiar with Dubai as a destination. China, by comparison, is a completely new market.” Instead, DCB is increasingly chasing business from India’s
professional associations, hoping to persuade them to swap domestic destinations for the GCC and hold their annual congresses in Dubai. “We’re trying to develop another element to the meetings business
we are seeing from India,” explains Lance. “We started two years ago when the India Travel Agent Association held its congress in Dubai and we’ve gone on to have dental and medical conferences. Slowly, slowly these groups are starting to approach us.” What’s good for the meetings and events industry is also good
for the wider UAE economy. Business travellers spend an estimated three to five times more than their leisure counterparts. China is set to become the world’s biggest business travel market by 2015, according to the Global Business Travel Association, with expected spending of US$245 billion in 2013. Among Dubai DMCs, Asia’s corporate travellers already have a reputation for being high-rollers. “When the Indian and Chinese markets spend, they spend heavily,”
says Abu Alrub of uTravel. “Even if just one percent of arrivals are high spenders that translates into millions of dollars. This is particularly true of meetings travellers – they aren’t looking for mediocre. They want to stay in Burj Al Arab, in the Armani Hotel – the most expensive, luxurious arrangements from hotel accommodation to restaurants and gala dinners.” UAE’s luxury proposition is the key to its appeal for the Asian
meetings market. The Gulf state’s five-star hotels, glitzy shopping malls and high-end events such as the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix have been vital in catching the eye of planners in India and Asia. “These markets are rather like the traditional, long-term Japanese client in that they come in and buy,” says Arabian Adventures’ Payet. “They are attracted to iconic, prestigious brands – they will want to have dinner at Burj Khalifa, for example. They will buy Gucci and Prada goods from the malls. They won’t do just one excursion, but probably something every day. They really do spend.”
Above: Hashi restaurant at the Armani Hotel Bottom left: Chinese shoppers are drawn towards expensive designer products
Meetings and events business from India
and China has yet to outstrip that seen from traditional source markets such as Europe and the US, but in terms of purchasing clout, the Asian nations are closing the gap, particularly as business slows from the crisis-hit west. “The purchasing power of the Chinese
2015
year China is set to become the world’s biggest business travel market
is much higher than, say, German or British visitors, even if they are fewer in number,” says DCB’s Lance. “Chinese visitors represent a small fraction of Dubai’s shopping traffic, but I think they’re still the biggest spenders.” Of course, the UAE is not the only country
that is aware of Asia’s purchasing strength. DMCs and hotel brands in the emirates will see increasing competition for Indian and Chinese business as other Gulf states ramp up their efforts for a slice of Asia’s tourism boom. However, the UAE’s first-move advantage is likely to give it a competitive edge as business travel from India and China grows. “When it comes to attracting business from
the India and China markets, it’s based purely on relationships and I think a lot of Dubai companies have learned that,” says Abu Alrub. “If you can keep and maintain relationships with key people in key companies, you are guaranteed to get business.” The rewards are huge for those who can
manage it. / 47
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