Arabian Adventures wins highest honour in incentive travel for multi-city UAE event

Arabian Adventures Meetings, Incentives and Events (AAMIE) has won the prestigious SITE Crystal Award for Excellence in Incentive Travel, Africa and the Middle East for the third time.  The events arm of Arabian Adventures, the UAE’s leading destination management company, has been recognised for designing and delivering an exceptional, multi–city event for the top-performing employees of luxury vehicle manufacturer, BMW. Presented by The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE), the SITE Crystal Award is considered the highest honour in the incentive travel industry.

Justine Thomas, Director of Arabian Adventures Meetings, Incentives and Events, said: “We are incredibly proud to have been recognised with this prestigious award, particularly for an event that was organised in one of the most challenging periods in the industry’s history.

“Our teams worked around the clock to deliver an unforgettable experience with a bespoke programme, featuring the unique and varied landscapes of the UAE. The participants’ overwhelmingly positive feedback is a testament to our team’s dedication and efforts. We thank our partner for their trust and confidence in our services and look forward to continuing our successful cooperation.”

Guy Le Compte, Events Marketing Manager at BMW Belux, added: “We would like to thank the amazing team for all the hard work, incredible commitment, and dedication they showed putting this event together. We are beyond grateful for the fun and inspiring vibes, outstanding service, and special care we were able to enjoy. Thank you for a truly unforgettable experience!”

The victorious event saw over 120 attendees travel from BMW’s Belgium and Luxembourg offices to the UAE for an extensive series of multi-venue activities. Across five days, guests received a vivid and varied experience of the country. Starting in Dubai, guests were provided the chance to take in the most incredible views of the city’s glittering cityscape and coastline with a sunset cruise, a helicopter ride from the iconic Atlantis, The Palm, and a first-hand experience of some of its most unique dining and entertainment venues.

The AAMIE team also managed to gain the group exclusive access to the Belgium and Luxembourg pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai. This surpassed the client’s expectations of their request for an experience that combined the guests’ local culture with the UAE.

Following a successful ‘Dealer’s Convention’ conference, the final days of the AAMIE x BMW event culminated amidst the beautiful natural landscapes of the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. Showcasing the expansive desert beyond the UAE’s cityscapes, the group stayed at the luxurious The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert and enjoyed a unique farewell dinner event from its incredible ‘Stargazing Platform’ venue, with a backdrop of rolling sand dunes.

In reaction to the extensive, multi-venue and multi–city event across its five days, 85 per cent of attendees stated that the UAE incentive ‘surpassed their expectations’.

This year’s SITE Crystal Awards, held in New York City, USA, has seen some of the fiercest competition so far, with travel, events and destination management companies from across the globe competing to take home the coveted trophy.