Dubai named as events capital of Middle East

Dubai: Dubai, known as the hub for some of the biggest events, has been named as the `2011 World Festival and Event City` in the Middle East region by an international association.

The regional award has been given by the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA), which supports events professionals worldwide. The Dubai government realised the economic importance of festivals in the 1990s and developed the infrastructure to establish the emirate as a hub for international events, said Shaikh Ahmad bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and Group. "The fruits of this long-term strategy have materialized with the events and festivals industry being vital in energising various economic sectors in the city, whether it was the hospitality sector, the tourism sector or the retail sector, which are all main arteries that pump income into the local economy as non-oil industries," he said. The announcement was made earlier this month during the IFEA Convention and Expo in Texas. The festivals and events industry in Dubai has boosted tourism and trade, the main pillars of the emirate`s economy, industry representatives said. PTI