Investment, ambition and diversification are at the heart of the Middle East’s flourishing business events market, reveals the latest Regional Trends Report from international MICE trade show, IBTM World.

Projecting the region as “one to watch,” the report, unveiled at day three of Arabian Travel Market, takes a deep dive into the growing power of this fast-emerging business events destination in the global MICE industry.

From renewables to fintech and telecoms to space travel, growth is being nurtured in both new and existing industries, with businesses and brands in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Qatar at the forefront.

The report notes that as business grows, infrastructure in the region is being built rapidly to house the many meetings and events needed to support it. A new business or venue, as well as new infrastructure, opens every day in the Middle East.

Written by managing director of Eight PR & Marketing, Alistair Turner, the inaugural report also sheds light on the return of face-to-face events in the Middle East. In a business culture where in-person interactions are highly valued, around 70 percent of meetings in the region now take place face-to-face, with just 30 percent happening virtually or in a hybrid format.

Claudia Hall, exhibition director, IBTM World, said: “As the Middle East continues to entice event planners with evermore innovative and exciting opportunities, we’re delighted to be able to provide event professionals with a snapshot of this exhilarating, dynamic and thriving region. It’s important event professionals understand the landscape they’re operating in, and this report does just that – giving them the knowledge and context they need to navigate everything the pioneering Middle Eastern events sector has to offer, and the contribution it can make to a flourishing business events industry of the future.”

The report is part of a series of regional reports from IBTM World which aim to create a more detailed and nuanced picture of different geographical and political landscapes across the world. A regional report on Africa has already been published, while reports on Latin America and Asia-Pacific are also due to be released shortly.

For download the report, click HERE.