Two jeeps crossing the red sand of Wadi Rum beneath tall sandstone cliffs

International destination

The Middle East for corporate offsites and incentive trips from India

The Middle East has several short-haul options for Indian companies, three to five hours from the metros. Compare the region's destinations for corporate groups, from the Dubai ballrooms to Petra, the Pyramids and AlUla.

Plan an event in Middle East

Flight time: About 3 to 5 hours non-stop to the Gulf cities; about 6 hours to Cairo and Amman
Visa: Qatar is visa-free for Indian passports. The rest need an e-visa or a visa arranged before travel
Best months: October or November to March across the region
ICE India in the Middle East: Planned by ICE India, with vetted local partners on the ground.

Why companies take groups to the Middle East

Short flights from most metros
Non-stop services reach the Gulf from Mumbai, Delhi and the southern cities, so a group lands in time for lunch and loses no working day to travel.
Ballrooms for very large groups
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Riyadh each have hotel ballrooms or convention halls that seat 2,000 or more, which few other short-haul cities match.
Desert evenings
A camp dinner on the dunes, with music and a fire, is an awards night that a hotel cannot stage, and almost every country here offers one.
Easy for vegetarian guests
Large Indian communities mean vegetarian kitchens in every Gulf city, and Jain meals can be ordered ahead from the restaurants named below.
History as well as skylines
Petra, the Pyramids, the Hegra tombs and the Muscat forts give a heritage incentive, a different trip from the malls and towers of the Gulf.
A cool-season calendar
The region is warm and dry from November to March, the same months many Indian companies hold their annual meets and sales awards.

The Middle East for corporate groups

The region does two jobs for Indian companies. The Gulf cities handle scale: dealer meets of 1,000, conferences of 2,000 and awards nights in ballrooms. Jordan, Egypt and AlUla handle the story: smaller incentive groups who come for a place they will remember.

This page covers the destinations in the Middle East that have no guide of their own: Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Ras Al Khaimah, Bahrain and Kuwait, each with hotels, gala venues and Indian restaurants. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman and Qatar have full guides, linked under Full guides near the end of the page.

ICE India in Mumbai holds the contract, in rupees, and the ground side in each country is run through a vetted local partner.

Compare the Middle East's destinations

Flight time, visa and season for every destination on this page. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman and Qatar have their own guides.

Middle East for groups from India
Destination	Flight from India	Visa for Indian passports	Best months	Best for
Dubai	About 3 to 5 hours non-stop from eight Indian metros	Tourist visa arranged before travel, filed for the group	November to March	Conferences, awards nights and desert evenings
Abu Dhabi	About 3 to 5 hours non-stop from Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and the southern metros	Visa required before travel	November to March	Theme parks, the Grand Mosque and large ballrooms
Oman	About 3 to 4 hours non-stop from most major cities	E-visa through the Royal Oman Police portal	November to March	Desert camps, forts and the Musandam fjords
Doha (Qatar)	About 3.5 hours from Mumbai; 4 to 5 hours from other metros	Visa-free for Indian passports	November to March	Conferences with no visa paperwork
Egypt	About 6 to 6.5 hours non-stop from Mumbai and Delhi; one stop from other cities	E-visa applied for online, filed for the whole group	November to March	Heritage incentives, Nile cruises and conferences of up to 2,000
Jordan	About 5.5 to 6 hours non-stop from Mumbai and Delhi to Amman; other cities via one stop	Visa on arrival at Amman airport, or a Jordan Pass, which waives the fee for stays of 3 nights or more	March to May and September to November	Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea retreats
Saudi Arabia	About 4.5 to 5.5 hours non-stop from Delhi and Mumbai to Riyadh and Jeddah; AlUla via Riyadh or Jeddah	E-visa with a valid US, UK or Schengen visa already used once; otherwise a sticker visa through a visa centre in India	October to April	AlUla heritage, new resorts, large conferences
Ras Al Khaimah	About 3.5 to 4 hours; non-stop from a few southern cities, or fly to Dubai and drive about an hour	UAE tourist visa, sponsored by a hotel, airline or UAE travel company	October to April	Beach resorts and Jebel Jais adventure
Bahrain	About 3.5 to 4.5 hours non-stop from Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi and Hyderabad	E-visa, usually 3 to 5 working days; on arrival with a valid US, UK or Schengen visa	November to March	Compact conferences and circuit experiences
Kuwait	About 4 to 5 hours non-stop from Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi and Ahmedabad	E-visa with a valid US, UK or Schengen visa or a GCC residence permit; otherwise through the Kuwait embassy	November to March	Business conferences and partner events

Other destinations in the Middle East

Six destinations without a guide of their own, each with hotels, a gala venue and Indian restaurants for groups.

A camel rider and a visitor on foot in front of the Pyramids at Giza

Hot air balloons rising at sunrise above the fields and desert near the Valley of the Kings in Luxor

Pyramids, a Nile cruise and temples for heritage-led incentives

Egypt

Egypt is the region's heritage trip. Where the Gulf sells skylines, Egypt sells the Pyramids, a Nile cruise and temples thousands of years old. Incentive groups of 50 to 150 come for the story, and conferences of up to 2,000 fit the largest Cairo hotels.

Most programmes start in Cairo and Giza, where the big ballrooms are, then add a Nile cruise or a flight to Luxor. Alexandria adds a conference centre and dinners by the Mediterranean. Plan four or five nights, since the flight is twice as long as the hop to the Gulf.

Places and activities: The Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Khan el-Khalili, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, and felucca sails in Aswan.
A Nile cruise: Three or four nights between Luxor and Aswan, with temple stops at Edfu and Kom Ombo and a gala dinner on deck.
Gala dinner venue: The Pavilion Gardens at Marriott Mena House seat 2,000 for dinner beside the Pyramids, after the Giza sound and light show.
Indian restaurants: The Moghul Room at Mena House, India along the Nile at the Semiramis InterContinental, and Maharaja in Zamalek. Jain and vegetarian menus are arranged in advance.
Food, souvenirs and shopping: Try koshari, ta'ameya and karkade, a chilled hibiscus tea. Bring home Egyptian cotton, papyrus and perfume oils from Khan el-Khalili and the Aswan souk.

Selected corporate venues in Egypt
Hotel	Area	Rooms	Event venues	Largest indoor venue (sq ft, theatre)
Marriott Mena House	Giza, beside the Pyramids	331	7	Al Khalifa: about 3,880 sq ft, 300; Pavilion Gardens, outdoors: 2,800
The Nile Ritz-Carlton Cairo	Downtown, Tahrir Square	331	18	Al Qahira Ballroom: about 18,300 sq ft, up to 1,200 guests
JW Marriott Hotel Cairo	Ring Road, Mirage City	445	32	Tutankhamun Ballroom: about 18,665 sq ft, 2,000
Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa	On the Nile, Luxor	235	4	Karnak Meeting Room: about 3,310 sq ft, 220
Mövenpick Resort Aswan	Elephantine Island, Aswan	404	6	Botanical room: up to 300 theatre
Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria at San Stefano	San Stefano, on the Corniche	Not available	Not available	San Stefano Ballroom: about 10,790 sq ft, up to 900 guests

A group walking the path towards the Siq at Petra under a clear blue sky

Striped Bedouin tents at a desert camp beneath the sandstone cliffs of Wadi Rum

Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea

Jordan

Jordan puts three very different settings a few hours apart: Petra, the rose-red city carved into the cliffs, the red sand of Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea, the lowest point on land. It offers history and landscape rather than skylines, which sets it apart from the Gulf.

A group walks the Siq to the Treasury, sleeps in a Bedouin camp, then floats in the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea resorts hold the largest ballrooms, Amman suits city programmes and Petra small leadership retreats, with a Red Sea beach at Aqaba to finish.

Places to visit: Petra needs a full day. Jerash, Madaba and Mount Nebo fit into one day from Amman, with Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea and Aqaba beyond.
Team activities: A jeep and camel safari in Wadi Rum with a stargazing night, a Dead Sea beach barbecue, and snorkelling in the Aqaba Marine Park.
Gala dinner venues: A zarb dinner, cooked in a sand pit, at a Wadi Rum camp, the Kempinski Ishtar ballroom on the Dead Sea, and the Four Seasons Amman Grand Ballroom.
Indian restaurants for groups: Indu at the InterContinental Amman, Indish, Rakoon and Chapatti.
Food, souvenirs and shopping: Try mansaf and zarb; vegetarians do well on mezze and falafel. Bring home Dead Sea cosmetics, Madaba mosaics and Hebron glass from Rainbow Street and the Al-Balad souq.

Selected corporate venues in Jordan
Hotel	Area	Rooms	Event venues	Largest indoor venue (sq ft, theatre)
Four Seasons Hotel Amman	Amman, Fifth Circle	192	13 event rooms	11,840 sq ft, 1,000 theatre (Grand Ballroom)
Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea	Dead Sea shore	345	9 meeting rooms	about 9,330 sq ft, 600 theatre (ballroom)
InterContinental Jordan	Amman, Third Circle	440	13 meeting rooms	Not available, 1,200 theatre (Grand Ballroom)
Mövenpick Resort Petra	Petra, at the site entrance	183	1 meeting room	about 1,080 sq ft, 90 theatre (Al Diwan)

Visitors beside the Elephant Rock sandstone arch in the AlUla desert

The mud-brick walls and towers of the At-Turaif district in Diriyah, Riyadh

AlUla, the Red Sea, Riyadh and Jeddah

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is the newest large destination for Indian corporate groups. Few Indian teams have been, so a programme here carries a novelty Dubai no longer offers. Riyadh and Jeddah handle conferences and dealer meets in ballrooms for several thousand delegates.

AlUla's sandstone canyons, the Hegra tombs and Elephant Rock suit leadership retreats, and the Red Sea resorts suit small incentive groups. Most programmes pair one base with one extension, such as Riyadh with a Diriyah dinner. Alcohol is restricted, so gala evenings are built around food, music and setting.

Places to visit: The Hegra tombs, Elephant Rock and Maraya in AlUla, the At-Turaif district of Diriyah and the Edge of the World near Riyadh, and Al-Balad in Jeddah.
Team activities: A Land Rover tour of Jabal Ikmah and Dadan in AlUla, a stargazing desert dinner, and a 4WD half-day to the Edge of the World.
Gala dinner venues: Maraya in AlUla, Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah, the Kingdom Ballroom at Four Seasons Riyadh and the Al Qasr Ballroom at the Jeddah Hilton, all alcohol-free.
Indian restaurants for groups: Saravanaa Bhavan, Kailash Parbat, Taste of Dilli and Annalakshmi in Riyadh.
Food, souvenirs and shopping: Try Najdi kabsa at Najd Village on Bujairi Terrace. Bring home Ajwa dates, oud and bakhoor from Souq Al-Zal in Riyadh or the Al-Balad spice market in Jeddah.

Selected corporate venues in Saudi Arabia
Hotel	Area	Rooms	Event venues	Largest indoor venue (sq ft, theatre)
Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre	Riyadh, Olaya	276	14 meeting spaces	about 42,580 sq ft, 3,000 theatre (Kingdom Ballroom)
The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh	Riyadh, Al Hada	492	10 meeting rooms	about 19,900 sq ft, 1,000 theatre (ballroom)
Jeddah Hilton	Jeddah, Corniche	390	13 meeting rooms	about 38,800 sq ft, 2,500 theatre (Hilton Hall)
Our Habitas AlUla	AlUla, Ashar Valley	96	8 event spaces	Not available, 200 guests (Noosha lounge)
Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea	Red Sea coast	76	3 meeting rooms	Not available, 40 theatre (meeting rooms combined)

Guests on the sand and by the pool at a Ras Al Khaimah beach resort, seen from above

The Jebel Jais mountains at sunset above the winding mountain road

Jebel Jais, Al Marjan Island and the beach resorts

Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah is the quieter emirate of the UAE, about an hour's drive north of Dubai. Beach resorts on Al Marjan Island sit below Jebel Jais, the emirate's highest peak, so a group can have a mountain morning and a beach afternoon on the same day.

Against Dubai it has fewer crowds and large beachfront resorts that keep a whole group in one place. Most groups fly into Dubai and drive up the coast, and one UAE visa covers both.

Places to visit: The Jebel Jais viewing deck, Dhayah Fort, the abandoned pearling village of Al Jazirah Al Hamra and the Suwaidi Pearls dhow ride through the mangroves.
Team activities: Jais Flight, a 2.83 km zip line and the world's longest, the Jais Sledder toboggan, mangrove kayaking at Mina Al Arab and a beach day on Al Marjan Island.
Gala dinner venues: The Juman ballroom at The Ritz-Carlton Al Wadi Desert for up to 220, Sonara Camp with a falconry show, and the Ankara Ballroom at Rixos Bab Al Bahr.
Indian restaurants for groups: Jalfrezi by Chef Vivek Huria, Peppermill at DoubleTree Marjan Island, Claypot, India Palace in RAK Mall and Socials.
Food, souvenirs and shopping: Try harees, machboos and luqaimat at a majlis-style dinner. Shop for spices at Manar Mall, silks and jewellery in the Old RAK Souq, and brands at Al Hamra Mall.

Selected corporate venues in Ras Al Khaimah
Hotel	Area	Rooms	Event venues	Largest indoor venue (sq ft, theatre)
Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah	Al Hamra Village	203	7 meeting rooms	about 4,850 sq ft, 400 guests (Grand Ballroom)
DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island	Al Marjan Island	723	4 meeting rooms	about 3,500 sq ft, 350 theatre (Jasmine Ballroom)
Rixos Bab Al Bahr	Al Marjan Island	About 700	4 meeting rooms	about 9,160 sq ft, 650 guests (Ankara Ballroom)
The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert	Al Wadi desert reserve	Not available	Juman ballroom, lawn and farmhouse	Not available, 220 guests (Juman ballroom)

Shoppers in a lantern-hung alley of the Bab Al Bahrain souq in Manama

Manama and the Bahrain International Circuit

Bahrain

Bahrain is the smallest Gulf destination, and that is its advantage. The hotels, the Manama souq, the museums and the Bahrain International Circuit sit a short drive apart, so a conference day can end with a Formula 1 circuit experience.

It is more relaxed than its neighbours, and two UNESCO sites, Qal'at al-Bahrain and the Pearling Path, make a half-day of culture. The Gulf Hotel's convention centre takes up to 3,000 delegates, and the Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons hold ballrooms for 500 to 900.

Places to visit: Qal'at al-Bahrain, the Pearling Path in Muharraq, the Tree of Life, the Al Fateh Grand Mosque and the Manama souq through the Bab Al Bahrain gate.
Team activities: Circuit tours, karting and a Dragster Experience at the Bahrain International Circuit, and a pearling-heritage walk through Muharraq.
Gala dinner venues: The Paddock Club above the circuit pit lane, the Al Bahrain Ballroom at Four Seasons Bahrain Bay and the Al Ghazal Ballroom at The Ritz-Carlton.
Indian restaurants for groups: Nirvana at The Ritz-Carlton, Jashan by Chef Pillai, Rasoi, The Grand Ashoka and Sri Gopala, which serves Jain food.
Food, souvenirs and shopping: Try machboos at Haji's Cafe near Bab Al Bahrain. Bring home Showaiter halwa, pearl jewellery and spices from the Manama souq and its Gold City building.

Selected corporate venues in Bahrain
Hotel	Area	Rooms	Event venues	Largest indoor venue (sq ft, theatre)
The Gulf Hotel Bahrain Convention & Spa	Manama, Adliya	361	33 venues	about 17,270 sq ft, 1,260 banquet (Al Dana Hall)
The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain	Manama, Seef	260	14 event rooms	about 9,470 sq ft, 900 theatre (Al Ghazal Ballroom)
Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay	Manama, Bahrain Bay	273	2 ballrooms and 6 meeting rooms	about 9,935 sq ft, 550 banquet (Al Bahrain Ballroom)

Kuwait City

Kuwait

Kuwait is a business destination and is best planned as one: conferences, dealer meets and partner events for companies that trade there, over two or three days. Four Seasons and Jumeirah Messilah Beach hold large ballrooms, and Indian restaurants are plentiful.

Kuwait is a business city rather than a leisure destination. It serves no alcohol, nightlife is limited and the main sights fit into a day. A team that wants beaches or adventure is better served by Ras Al Khaimah or Dubai.

Places to visit: Kuwait Towers and their observation deck, the Grand Mosque on a weekday tour, Souq Al-Mubarakiya, the Sadu House and the Tareq Rajab Museum.
Team activities: A ferry day to Failaka Island, a tasting walk through Souq Al-Mubarakiya and an evening at Al Shaheed Park.
Gala dinner venues: The Al Bidaa Ballroom at Four Seasons Kuwait, which takes 880 at a banquet, and the Badriah Ballroom at Jumeirah Messilah Beach. Galas centre on food, music and performance.
Indian restaurants for groups: Saravanaa Bhavan in Fahaheel, Dhajeej and Salmiya, Mughal Mahal, Jamawar, Soul and Spice, and Asha's.
Food, souvenirs and shopping: Try machboos with ma'amoul to finish. Bring home Sadu weaving, oud and bakhoor from Souq Al-Mubarakiya, and boxed dates from Sultan Center.

Selected corporate venues in Kuwait
Hotel	Area	Rooms	Event venues	Largest indoor venue (sq ft, theatre)
Four Seasons Kuwait at Burj Alshaya	Kuwait City, Sharq	284	4 function rooms and 2 ballrooms	about 14,540 sq ft, 880 banquet (Al Bidaa Ballroom)
Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa	Messilah, on the coast	408	4 meeting rooms and ballrooms	about 20,990 sq ft, 1,800 theatre (Badriah Ballroom)

Full guides

Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman and Qatar have a full guide of their own, with hotels, gala venues, Indian restaurants and a sample programme.

Dubai
The region's busiest meetings city, with the World Trade Centre, desert camps and dhow dinners.
Abu Dhabi
Yas Island's theme parks, the Louvre and a ballroom that seats 2,400.
Oman
Muscat's forts and souqs, a night in the Wahiba Sands and a dhow through the Musandam fjords.
Doha (Qatar)
Visa-free for Indian passports, with a convention centre and the Museum of Islamic Art.

Events ICE India has run in Middle East

Finance technology company
Eighty guests split three nights between Dubai and Abu Dhabi in June 2024, with a day at Ferrari World and a Dubai Marina dhow cruise. ICE India filed the visas for the whole party.

Planning an event in Middle East: questions

Which Middle East destination needs the least visa work?

Qatar, which Indian passport holders enter without a visa. Jordan gives a visa on arrival at Amman airport. Elsewhere ICE India files the group's e-visas or visa applications together, two to four weeks before travel.

Can we serve alcohol at a gala dinner?

In the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Jordan and Egypt, licensed hotels and venues serve it. Kuwait serves none, and Saudi Arabia restricts it, so gala evenings there are planned around food, music and setting.

Which destination suits a conference of more than 1,000?

Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh and Cairo each have hotel ballrooms or convention halls for 2,000 or more. Jordan, Ras Al Khaimah and AlUla suit incentive groups of up to a few hundred.

Can one trip cover two countries?

Yes. Dubai with Abu Dhabi or Ras Al Khaimah is a single UAE visa and a short drive. Dubai or Doha with Oman, or Cairo with Amman, works as a two-country trip with one short flight between them.

We are a destination company or tourism body in the region. How do we reach Indian buyers?

ICE India offers India representation to tourism boards, bureaux and destination companies. Read how a mandate starts on the Destination Representation page.

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Photographs via Wikimedia Commons: kallerna, Daniel Case, Komban Girls, Tashmetova808, Zairon, Ji-Elle, Divya Thakur and John Romano D'Orazio (CC BY-SA (opens in a new tab) 2.0 to 4.0); Richard Mortel, xiquinhosilva, Derek Morrison, Maya-Anaïs Yataghène and Z thomas (CC BY (opens in a new tab) 2.0 to 4.0). Other photographs are from public sources and remain the property of their owners.

ICE India runs this from Mumbai

ICE India is a corporate event management and MICE company, founded in Mumbai in 2009. We have delivered 1,500+ events, with 98% client retention.

In the Middle East, ICE India signs one contract in India and works with vetted local partners in each country. Flights are short, so many programmes pair two cities, and a single point of contact stays with the group from brief to return.

ICE India plans incentive trips and offsites across the region and runs conferences in its hotels. Tell us the group size, the dates and which of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Qatar, Egypt or Jordan you prefer, and we send a shortlist and a quote. We reply within one working day.

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