Gamal Fathy
Head of Meetings & Incentives, Kuoni Destination Management Middle East
SINCE 1995, KUONI DESTINATION MANAGEMENT DUBAI HAS BEEN THE PREMIER PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE ORGANISER IN THE CITY. TELL US MORE ABOUT THE COMPANY.
We offer objective consultancy and provide a total solution for all our clients’ requirements. During the past 16 years, over 1,000 tailor-made meetings, incentives, conferences and events have been successfully managed from 10 up to 4,000 participants in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman. Our clients experience the pleasure of working with a reliable partner, with deep local knowledge and all the expertise to deliver turnkey solutions for meetings, incentives and special events to the highest international quality standards.
WHAT ARE THE KUONI DESTINATION MANAGEMENT DUBAI UNIQUE SELLING POINTS?
We have over 30 multilingual staff with an entrepreneur spirit and we work with the latest event management technology. We are a premiere destination management company for the Middle East and we understand the business objectives of our corporate clients. We are flexible and open to challenges and new ideas, which has been reflected with numerous awards for the highest levels of quality. We also have strong relations with the major suppliers and with the authorities.
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MEETINGS & INCENTIVES BUSINESS (M&I) IN THE UAE?
The M&I has always played a very important role to promote, not only the destination, but the various opportunities that we can provide to the corporate or individual. The M&I business is an eye opener for a participant who comes for a corporate programme and later returns to the destination on a private holiday. In essence, it is a marketing tool for the FIT/ leisure business of the destination. M&I business is also an excellent tool for business development. A major corporate client having a programme in Dubai can also be encouraged to open up operations in the city. We have had two examples with Barclays Bank and Wuerth. Both have opened up business in Dubai after we organised a programme and run a congress respectively.
WHAT ARE THE CURRENT AND FUTURE TRENDS OF THE M&I INDUSTRY?
The trends in the M&I industry tend to be three-fold. First one is short notice. Lead times from a request for proposal (RFP) to group operations have slowly been reduced. In some cases, we receive the request within a month of the group arrival. The second is cost-conscious. The majority of the clients are now trying to have a good programme without being over zealous with the budget. They are more conscious on how and where they spend their budget. Finally, creativity and provide solutions have always been and still are some of the most important aspects to any M&I project.
WHAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE M&I EVENT HELD AND THE EXPERIENCE LEARNED?
Kuoni Destination Management Dubai organised an event for 800 guests from a major sporting brand manufacturer in 2010. Guests not only took part in relay race and football and beach volleyball tournaments, but they also spent an overnight in a custom built hotel in the desert offering accommodation in 400 individual luxury tents. There were also fireworks, video production and entertainment. The team proved that all the clients’ requests were possible, and we met them with high priority and executed above standards.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN KEY M&I MARKETS IN DUBAI AND WHAT IS THE FUTURE OUTLOOK ON EMERGING MARKETS?
The key market for us is Europe and as potential, we are looking at Argentina and Brazil.