Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) announced on Wednesday that the value of its contribution to the economy of Abu Dhabi reached AED1.12 billion ($300 million) in the first quarter of 2017, up eight percent on targets.
In Q1, ADNEC said it hosted 12 exhibitions, and 108 conferences and events that attracted more than 302,000 visitors to its venues in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.
During the quarter, the company generated 6,922 jobs and 240,396 guest nights for the emirate’s hospitality sector, it said in a statement.
Noura Al Kaabi, chairwoman of ADNEC, said: “We are delighted with the strong Q1 2017 results. ADNEC is implementing the collective vision of our leadership that recognises the crucial role of non-oil sectors in achieving sustainable economic growth.”
Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Group CEO of ADNEC, added: “As we continue into Q2 2017, we are committed to maintaining the momentum and achieving new milestones despite increased competition from other key venues. We are confident that our top-notch facilities and ability to cater to the dynamic customer requirements will give us an edge over our competitors.”
Among the key events ADNEC hosted in Q1 2017, IDEX and NAVDEX 2017 marked its largest and most successful edition in history, with 1,235 companies taking part and 105,400 visitors attracted.
The Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre offers 133,000 square metres of interconnected floor space to meet the requirements of a wide variety of events and exhibitions. The venue attracted 1.5 million people across 480 events in 2016.
