Business
Cvent Announces Top Meeting Destinations and Top Meeting Hotels in the Middle East & Africa for 2024
The industry-acclaimed annual rankings recognise the top-performing hotels for MICE business, as well as the world’s most coveted meeting destinations
Cvent, a leading provider of meetings, events, and hospitality technology, has unveiled its latest rankings for the Top Meeting Destinations and Top Meeting Hotels for the Middle East & Africa (MEA) region. The rankings, which also encompass North America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, were compiled based on sourcing activity through the Cvent Supplier Network, one of the largest venue-sourcing platforms globally, with over $16 billion of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) business sourced through Cvent’s online platforms in 2023.
Dubai and Istanbul maintained their positions as the top two meeting destinations in the MEA region, with Abu Dhabi securing the third spot. Notable improvements in rankings were observed for Riyadh, Doha, and Casablanca, reflecting the growing prominence of these cities in the meetings and events landscape.
Karina Lance, Associate Vice President of Dubai Business Events, expressed her delight at Dubai being named the top meeting destination in the Middle East and Africa once again. She emphasized Dubai's visionary leadership and commitment to fostering a conducive environment for global business events, highlighting engagement with meeting planners as a key strategy.
In the realm of meeting hotels, Conrad Dubai claimed the top spot, followed by InterContinental Dubai Festival City and Grosvenor House, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai. Notable newcomers to the Top 10 list included Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, The St. Regis Downtown Dubai, and Grand Hyatt Istanbul.
The rankings reflect the success of these hotels in generating business through the Cvent Supplier Network, with factors such as sustainability initiatives playing a significant role in influencing MICE success. Grosvenor House's receipt of the 'Dubai Sustainable Tourism Stamps' is cited as one such example.
The methodology employed by Cvent in determining the rankings involved evaluating various criteria such as the number of room nights booked, unique electronic request-for-proposals (RFPs) sent through the marketplace, total value of RFPs submitted, and the actual awarded value for meetings booked.
The release of these rankings serves as a valuable resource for event organizers worldwide seeking exceptional hotels and destinations to host their events. The rankings were shared during a live press conference at IMEX Frankfurt, underscoring Cvent's commitment to recognizing top hotels and destinations in person.
For a comprehensive view of all Cvent Top Meeting Destinations and Cvent Top Meeting Hotels worldwide, interested parties can access the complete lists online.
With the MICE industry continuing to evolve, initiatives like the Cvent Top Lists play a crucial role in providing insights into the dynamic landscape of meetings and events, further enhancing the global connectivity and competitiveness of destinations and hotels in the MEA region and beyond.