meetings
SECTOR OVERVIEW
Powerhouse potential
Having evaluated the economic benefits of the meetings sector, Saudi Arabia is now establishing the frameworks to drive the industry forward
1 1
Saudi Arabia attracted more than 3.2 million exhibition and convention visitors in 2012 who generated in excess of US$2.3 billion (SAR8.6 billion) between them, according to recent data presented by the World Bank. As positive as those numbers are, the meetings industry in Saudi has the potential to be much bigger. The work is now beginning to help deliver a more robust, dynamic and transparent industry able to generate greater economic returns. “Saudi Arabia is the largest economy
in the Middle East region and a member of the G20, which provides exhibition and convention organisers with a valuable
22
network of event partners and potential sponsors,” points out Eng. Tariq Al Essa, Executive Director of the Saudi Exhibition and Convention Bureau (SECB). “The kingdom has also developed
advanced economic sectors including healthcare, education, finance, petroleum, agriculture and petrochemicals and these represent some of the largest categories of events within the global industry.” Saudi Arabia has already built up a
large base of domestic events with more than 210 exhibitions planned for 2014, according to Al Essa. “These provide potential partnerships among domestic
and international event organisers in an array of economic sectors,” he says. “Saudi Arabia is also the centre of
Islam, which offers Islamic-related organisations and events an ideal location with an array of private- and public-sector resources,” he adds. Importantly, the government now
acknowledges the importance of the meetings industry as a means of achieving its long-term goal to diversify the economy and reduce its reliance on oil and gas revenues. The exhibition and convention sector has the potential to play an important role in the desired
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108