July 1, 2006

SUMMER SEASON OFFERS CHALLENGE FOR UAE’S WEDDING PLANNERS
Specialised Team Covers Every Last Detail for Over 100 Summer Weddings at Dubai World Trade Centre

While many organisations view the UAE summer as a welcome lull in their busy calendar, for the Wedding Planners and Organisers at Dubai World Trade Centre, it is the high point of annual activity.

The summer period between July and August marks the peak of national weddings within the United Arab Emirates, with thousands of young couples celebrating their union in grand style. Groups of up to 1,000 people are common at these ceremonies, with the Ladies events in particular generating a mix of high cuisine and fine fashion.

Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) is one of the most popular venues for national weddings in the region.

For the last nine years, DICEC’s Al Multaqua Ballroom – capable of hosting up to 600 guests – has been booked solid for the wedding season. The Maktoum Hall – capable of holding over 1,000 guests – is proving similarly popular in 2006, while there is also strong demand for the 4,000 capacity Sheikh Rashid Hall, and even for the Za’abeel Hall, due for completion in September 2006.

“We’re very proud of the popularity of DICEC as a venue for summer weddings, partly because it demonstrates our ongoing role within the local community,” said Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General, Dubai World Trade Centre.

“Given how demanding many families are that their weddings should be perfect in every detail, it also underlines our team’s professionalism and commitment to delivering a unique experience,” he added.

There are a number of reasons why people elect to host their wedding at DICEC. A great deal of thought has gone into layout and development - the venue has dedicated access and car parking for separate wedding parties, in addition to special areas for brides to receive their guests.

DICEC’s facilities are supported by a team of professionals with unmatched experience in making national weddings an occasion to remember. Their skill-set includes providing arrangements, layout, settings and top-flight catering, capable of looking after gatherings of 6,000 invitees or more.

The team is supported by ongoing research and development, constantly visiting and benchmarking against the facilities offered across the region, and in Europe and the United States.

DICEC also has the UAE’s largest selection of tailor-made dishes, cutlery, glass-wear, coverings and linens, and is able to offer a huge range of variety and materials, including gold, platinum, silver and mixed precious metals.

“Our role is to offer whatever the marriage party requires for a memorable event and ensure that it is delivered immaculately. Naturally, people want their wedding to stand out and be memorable for their family and friends, so we do our best to ensure that everything is in place,” said Afra Al Basti, Manager, Wedding Sales and Marketing, Dubai World Trade Centre.

As the wedding feast is of critical importance to the success of the occasion, DWTC has invested significant resources in ensuring that its catering department is among the best in the region. DWTC is one of the few facilities in the world with the kitchen equipment and expertise capable of creating world-class Emirati banquets for large groups.

Its catering team is capable of produce a wide range of multi-cuisine specialities, including top-class Emirati cuisine.

The Food & Beverage division of DWTC was one of the first institutions in Dubai to obtain HACCP certification, in recognition of the centre’s adherence to the highest levels of hygiene and safety requirements in the food service industry.

In 2006, as part of its wider community relations program, DWTC has unveiled a special range of packages to make dream weddings available to a wide range of budgets. These packages – which offer a range of menus and support facilities – are available throughout the summer and into 2007.

For more information, please contact:
Ashok Thomas
Corporate Communications Division
Dubai World Trade Centre
Dubai 9292, UAE
email: ashok.thomas@dwtc.com  
Tel: +971 4 308-6083
Fax: +971 4 331-4853
Websites:   www.careersuae.ae  www.dwtc.com