Summary report on Loyalty Connect Dubai 2024 and the International Loyalty Awards
Two big events took place recently, one new and one tenured, but in a new location. Loyalty Connect Dubai 2024 was held 23-24 April 2024 in the World Trade Centre Dubai. And, for the first time, the esteemed International Loyalty Awards gala was held in Dubai on 24 April, the first time this event was held outside of London in its decades long history.
Wise Marketer Group CMO Aaron Dauphinee attended both events and presented a session during Loyalty Connect Dubai titled “Why Loyalty Keeps You Up Less at Night—A Proven Aid to Executives as They Lead Through the Big 5 Business Challenges That Tend to Keep Them Up at Night.”
Aaron transitioned from the conference to the awards gala and witnessed significant achievements by many brands around the world.
Speaking with Aaron, he noted the two-day event was “designed [by organizers] to keep people at the forefront of the latest loyalty industry trends, providing a platform to network with like-minded professionals and gain valuable insights into cutting-edge loyalty solutions.” He added four key observations:
- The event featured a new format that innovated how attendees would connect and collaborate. It seemed a solid approach for the future of this industry. The quality of the content was strong, with well-tailored thought leadership that ranged from forward-thinking industry insights to practical case study success examples.
- Despite record rainfall in the week leading up to the event, logistics were largely unaffected. Yes, the crowds were smaller than projected, but the popular opinion among attendees was that among the people who did attend, the “right people” were there.
- Majid Al Futtaim (MAF), a large family-owned conglomerate which owns and operates shopping malls (Mall of the Emirates in Dubai), retail, cinemas/leisure entertainment, and hotels in the Middle East and North Africa, proudly displayed its SHARE programme where members can earn and be rewarded across multiple purchase categories. MAF showcased its success using a “pavilion” concept to illustrate their innovative approaches to customer loyalty.
- The speaking agenda was heavily populated by people from the CLMP™ community, sharing their experience and voice on current topics.
The International Loyalty Awards ceremonies were a black-tie affair that was very well attended with strong socializing and connections. The loyalty community filled the ballroom at the One & Only Zaa’beel in Dubai’s commercial district.
The winners of the 2024 International Loyalty Awards represent the global loyalty community who are setting new standards in loyalty marketing and the event paid tribute to the brands building lasting and profitable customer relationships. Wise Marketer Group CEO Bill Hanifin was among a group of judges who invested significant time into the judging process.
This year’s gala event brought together a diverse range of leading global brands and professionals from every corner of the globe for a night of celebrations. The award winners were just announced to the general public. As a courtesy, we have made available the press release here on a limited basis. Anyone who has earned their Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional™ from The Loyalty Academy™ can log in to their account on Loyalty Academy and access the complete listing of winners in the Loyalty Vault. You can also find this information by visiting Loyalty Magazine.
Event owners Marian Kelly and Eileen McGuinness commented in the press release, “Loyalty remains incredibly valuable for brands in 2024. Customer loyalty is—and will continue to be—the central tenet of any business. 2024 and beyond will be big years for loyalty marketers across the globe. Loyalty programme membership and appeal are hitting record highs across every industry.”