Dubai has won the bid to host the 69th edition of World Real Estate Congress, a mega event which will make its debut in the Middle East region in 2018.

The successful bid was led by Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau and a division of Dubai Tourism, in partnership with the Dubai Real Estate Institute (DREI), the education arm of the Dubai Land Department (DLD), for the annual congress that will bring the world’s real estate industry leaders to the city.

The annual event organised by the International Real Estate Federation (Fiabci) is expected to attract more than 1,000 real estate professionals from over 60 nations to explore the ‘Future of Cities’.

Jointly led by DBE and DREI, and supported by host venue Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, among other local industry partners, the successful bid to host another influential world congress underpins the emirate’s strong international reputation as a vibrant and diverse destination for business events.

The announcement also boosts the city’s growth as a leading global hub for investment, and contributes towards its maturing real estate market that strives on innovative developments and a healthy regulatory environment.

The win marks another milestone for DBE in bidding for and bringing leading business events to the emirate, acting as platforms for the exchange of ideas, information and expertise, which is helping transform the city into a global knowledge hub, said a top official.

Having grown into the world’s most cosmopolitan city, and currently implementing one of the most promising smart city agendas in the world, Dubai offers a unique perspective on the ability to effectively drive economic growth and embrace a higher quality of life through smart and efficient initiatives – a pressing need in today’s rapidly urbanising world.

Issam Kazim, the chief executive officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: "Dubai's being chosen as the first Middle East country to be a venue for the congress, is a testament to the city’s ambition both as a dynamic real estate market as well as an established destination for staging high-profile conferences."

"Our successful bid reflects the country’s acclaimed top ranking as a global investment haven and the emirate’s strengths in attracting and hosting international business events of the highest calibre," stated Kazim.

"This success again demonstrates the strong collaboration with our local partners – first and foremost the Dubai Real Estate Institute – to deliver a competitive and attractive bid that showcased the holistic leisure and business offering in Dubai. We look forward to welcoming the real estate world to Dubai in 2018," he added.

DLD director general Sultan Butti Bin Mejren said: "Winning this acclaimed event is a testament to the significant strides taken by the Dubai real estate market in recent years, in addition to the continuous efforts made by the government to promote and build a strong commercial environment with the express intention of projecting a prosperous and welcoming image to visitors and investors from overseas."

"The fact that the emirate has been chosen as the first city in the Middle East to host this event demonstrates how Dubai has emerged as the pre-eminent real estate hub for the region," he noted.

According to him, the mega event will strengthen Dubai’s economy through attracting business and leisure visitors, and inward investment into the emirate not only from the region, but from across the world, further building towards a continued maturation of the Dubai property market.

"Today’s announcement also bolsters the Dubai Plan 2021, which aims to build a smart and sustainable city with a strong infrastructure capable of supporting economic and social life and contributing to the Emirate’s future growth," he added.

The Fiabci World Real Estate Congress connects real estate professionals from around the world to discuss themes and trends that are driving the real estate market.

It also provides a unique platform for sharing best practices in addressing evolving needs, sharing information and conducting international business. Delegates and Fiabci members represent all industry sectors, including commercial, residential, luxury, retail and industrial.
 
This year, the congress was held at Panama City, Panama from May 21 to 26 under the theme ‘Connecting Development for a Better World,’ which focused on topics including affordable housing, real estate opportunities through globalisation, smart cities and international property ethics.

Fiabci has been working closely with the United Nations since 1954 and is considered to be the only global real estate association to hold NGO special consultative status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council.-TradeArabia News Service