Abu Dhabi Convention & Exhibition Bureau signs strategic agreement with PCMA

Abu Dhabi Convention & Exhibition Bureau (ADCEB) and PCMA have signed a strategic training and partnership agreement at the PCMA Convening Leaders 2020 conference, which is held this week in San Francisco, USA.

PCMA
Abu Dhabi Convention & Exhibition Bureau (ADCEB) and PCMA signing the new agreement during ADCEB’s press conference held today at PCMA Convening Leaders 2020 in San Francisco. f.l.t.r.: Sherrif Karamat – PCMA President and CEO – Mubarak Al Shamisi – Director of ADCEB. Foto: Jacob Slaton

As part of the agreement, PCMA will support ADCEB, which is part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), in three key areas, including Convention Services Manager Training (CSM training) for elected event executives from the Emirate. The agreement also entails hosting an Abu Dhabi Advisory Summit, which is set to take place later this year, as well as the introduction of a series of educational programmes and membership to help build the knowledge base and event management capabilities within the MICE industry in Abu Dhabi.

The agreement enhances Abu Dhabi’s position within the international association sector as it works to attract more business to the emirate. The programme will also act as an educational platform for the Bureau’s stakeholders to develop a deeper knowledge of the MICE industry and the essentials of delivering world-class events.

Mubarak Al Shamisi, Director of ADCEB, said: “Abu Dhabi is strengthening its industry capabilities to serve the global community of business event strategists, planners and organisers through education and knowledge sharing, and partnering with an esteemed global entity such as PCMA is key to achieving that. We are very excited about this partnership and look forward to the successes it will bring in 2020 and beyond.”

Sherrif Karamat, CAE, PCMA President and CEO, said: “Abu Dhabi and PCMA are perfectly aligned as we both recognise that the business events industry can play an instrumental role in economic and social transformation.  Abu Dhabi also realises that this requires the development of their most important asset – their citizens and this is where PCMA can bring tremendous value as the global leader in the business events industry.”

PCMA is the world’s largest and most recognised network of business events strategists, consisting of 7,000 members in 37 countries. The organisation was founded in 1956 with the aim of delivering superior and innovative education and promoting the value of business events.

The agreement is the latest in a series of initiatives implemented by ADCEB and DCT Abu Dhabi to strengthen the MICE sector and promote business tourism in the UAE capital. In 2019, ADCEB announced the establishment of the first MICE Advisory Committee led by industry leaders from China, in addition to becoming a Premier Partner for international global travel exhibition IBTM World.