Dubai emerges as the destination of choice for Indian companies
With the end of the pandemic, the tourism, business travel and conference industry has been revived, much to the benefit of the United Arab Emirates, which has seen a marked increase in business travel and corporate events to Dubai from India. In recent years, the Emirati city has become a top destination for Indian companies and their upper class, who find all kinds of luxuries in Dubai, as well as a perfect setting for congresses and business events.
Emirati travel agencies confirm this increase, which does not affect individual travel, but rather large groups that leave the management and organisation of their trips in the hands of the operators.
According to sources at Akhbar Travels, a major Indian travel agency, the number of MICE (meetings, incentive, conference and exhibition) passengers to the United Arab Emirates has risen in recent months to 1,500 a week. According to statements made to the Arabian Business digital by Akhbar Travels CEO Bhushan Kamble, Indian companies "stopped doing corporate events for their employees, or congresses of all kinds, because of the pandemic. But now they are coming back stronger than ever and Dubai is a much safer destination than others around India".
The conditions that Dubai imposes on travellers from India also encourage the return of business tourism. The emirate has no quarantine for travellers flying from India, and accepts Indian vaccination documents and the validity of vaccines produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII).
Dubai is also a country within flying distance of India and has more than sufficient infrastructure for business conferences. It has now added to its resources the pavilions of the Dubai 2020 World Expo, which already hosts congresses and trade fairs, but once Expo2020 is over, it will keep the best pavilions in the Expo City to continue hosting events that require large, business-friendly spaces. According to reports published by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), since 2015, the UAE has topped the list of countries with the highest number of congresses organised per year in the Middle East region. In the world list, it is in 40th position, with 101 congresses organised in the UAE, and Dubai is the country's first city in this ranking.
Another major attraction bringing more and more Indians to Dubai is the hosting of the annual ICC MEN'S T20 World Cup, a men's international men's limited-overs match format held in the emirate from November 2021. Cricket is by far the most popular sport in the Federal Republic of India, as it is in many other countries with a British colonial past. Dubai's good fortune in hosting this major international competition is paying off for the Indian public, who flock in droves to attend ICC T20 World Cup matches.
It is also a competition that the Indians were particularly looking forward to, as after the Australian edition was postponed, India was chosen to host the tournament. But the Covid situation in India, which has not abated in recent months, forced it to be moved to the UAE and Oman, where it is finally being held without any problems.
