Abu Dhabi, Feb 03rd, 2009 (WAM): Abu Dhabi will host the UAE’s first ‘Future Leaders Forum’ next week to outline career opportunities for UAE nationals within the country’s expanding Business Tourism (MICE).

The Future Leaders Forum (FLF) is one of many global education programmes provided by IMEX-Meeting Professionals International (MPI) – the world’s largest meeting professionals organisation. It will be held at the Abu Dhabi InterContinental Hotel on February 10 with entry free-of-charge to UAE Nationals who can pre-register by email.

‘This is an exceptional professional development opportunity. Tourism is rapidly becoming one of Abu Dhabi’s key economic contributors and there is huge potential for UAE nationals to take leading roles in the industry.’ explained Nasser Al Reyami, Director Tourism Standards, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which is hosting the event.

‘Business tourism, in particular, which includes the meeting, incentives, conferences and exhibitions segment, is generally regarded as one of the highest yielding and most profitable in-bound tourism segments because of the significantly greater spend it generates compared to the leisure sector. This is a vital segment and one which is still in its embryo stage here in the UAE so it provides a great opportunity for nationals to get in on the ground floor of its emergence.’ The FLF will include sessions from five international and local Business Tourism experts including: Tom Hulton, the IMEX Director of International Relations; Joyce Dodniez, Director of Operations EMEA for MPI; Franck Hesse, Area Director of Sales and Marketing of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain InterContinental hotels; Ajay Bhojwani, Director, MCI Abu Dhabi and Gillian Taylor, Business Tourism/MICE Manager, ADTA.

The programme will explore specifics of the meeting industry and its career opportunities, career development and education for meeting professionals, how to create the perfect event, what it takes to be a successful sales person, the role of the professional conference organiser and careers in a convention bureau.

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority is spearheading a major business tourism drive and is dedicated the week March 28-April 3 this year to the promotion of the lucrative industry segment. The week coincide with the staging at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre of the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM), the Arabian Gulf’s leading international trade show for the MICE industry