The Abu Dhabi Events Licensing System, ELS, which was launched earlier during the year by Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, TCA Abu Dhabi, has experienced unprecedented growth of 19.5 percent in total applications between Q1 and Q2.

Operated by TCA Abu Dhabi on behalf of Abu Dhabi Government, the ELS, a mandatory register of all business, leisure and public events in Abu Dhabi, is a one-stop platform for all venues and bodies responsible for staging, organising and managing events. About 9,002 applications covering all types of events were submitted during the first half of 2017. Since its introduction, it has led to the exponential growth of Abu Dhabi’s event sector by unifying and boosting the speed of registry and licensing mechanisms for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions, MICE, and leisure events. When compared with Q1, the licensing system received a surge in applications in Q2 of 2017 with an increase from 4,015 to 4,987 events applications resulting in 19.5 percent growth, an increase from 603 to 880 training applications, a 33.3 percent in workshop applications, 2,955 meeting applications - representing growth of 625 or 26.8 percent - and 55 additional exhibition and conference applications, up 19.1 percent since implementation of the system.

Commenting on the promising results, Sultan Al Dhaheri, Acting Executive Director of Tourism Sector, TCA Abu Dhabi, said, "Abu Dhabi is a key global leisure events and MICE destination. The successful implementation of the Events Licensing System has played a major role in stimulating an increase in licensing applications by simplifying event organisers’ processes, procedures and approvals, which in turn is driving visitor growth across leisure and business sectors for the emirate. We have witnessed a particularly significant boost for the business sector, which authenticates our International Congress Convention Association’s city ranking as one of the top 100 business global meetings destinations."

The ELS was introduced to aid in the management, registration and licensing of all events held in the emirate. By streamlining, facilitating and collating event registration and licensing procedures, the system incorporates a database for event types, categories, speakers and activities, as well as acting as a reliable indicator for tourism performance, growth orientation and each event’s relative success and fulfillment of its set objectives.

Al Dhaheri added, "The licensing system is firmly aligned with TCA Abu Dhabi’s initiatives to support and maintain the steady growth in the value of our tourism economy, strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a sustainable international tourism destination."

Following its launch, the ELS has secured unmatched efficiency in enhancing event management services provided to stakeholders across the public and private sectors, allowing them to reach new audiences by adding their events to Abu Dhabi’s event calendar, and contributing to the ongoing promotion of the continuously expanding line-up of initiatives and activities within Abu Dhabi’s events sector.