These Terms govern participation in the Event of this contract and any related, co-located, replacement, or successor event organised by Strategic Marketing & Exhibitions ("the Organiser"). By signing an application, making any payment, or participating in the Event, the Delegate agrees to be bound by these Terms.
1. Definitions
"Delegate" means the individual or entity named in the application, together with (where applicable) its officers, employees, contractors, agents, and invitees.
"Event" means any conference, exhibition, summit, awards ceremony, forum, or other event (whether physical, hybrid, or digital) organised or co-organised by the Organiser to which the Delegate’s registration relates, including any rescheduled, relocated, reconfigured, reduced, expanded, postponed, or alternative-format version determined by the Organiser.
"Opening Date" means the first day of public opening as notified by the Organiser, which may differ from any previously communicated date.
"Venue" means any physical or virtual space used for the Event, including the Dubai World Trade Centre and any alternative premises designated by the Organiser.
"Contract Value" means all sums payable by the Delegate under the contract, exclusive of VAT and other applicable taxes.
"Delegate Pass" means the registration entitlement issued to the Delegate, in the type and at the level set out in the commercial agreement or registration confirmation, granting access to the Event.
2. Application and Contract Formation
2.1 No application or registration is binding on the Organiser until accepted. Acceptance shall be effected by any one of the following: (a) the Organiser’s issuance of an invoice or registration confirmation; (b) the Delegate making any payment against the registration; or (c) the Delegate’s attendance at the Event. The parties expressly agree that no additional formality is required. Upon acceptance, a binding contract arises which incorporates: the application or registration; these Terms; any commercial agreement; health, safety, and Venue rules (including Dubai World Trade Centre policies where applicable); and any directions issued by the Organiser. In the event of conflict, these Terms prevail.
The parties further expressly agree that completion of the registration by the Delegate shall constitute a final, binding, and irrevocable confirmation of the Delegate’s registration for the Event and entitlement to the Delegate Pass, subject to these Terms. Such confirmation shall not be subject to withdrawal, cancellation, or conditionality on payment, except as expressly provided under these Terms and Conditions.
Payment obligations shall remain independent, unconditional, and enforceable obligations of the Delegate and shall not affect the validity, existence, or binding nature of the contract or the Delegate’s confirmed participation.
Any failure or delay in payment shall not be construed as a cancellation of participation nor release the Delegate from its contractual obligations.
In the event of any conflict or inconsistency, these Terms and Conditions shall prevail unless expressly stated otherwise by the Organiser in writing. The Delegate irrevocably waives any right to dispute the existence or validity of the contract on the basis that a formal countersigned agreement has not been executed, where any of the acts listed in this Clause 2.1 have occurred.
2.2 The Organiser may accept or decline any registration at its discretion, and may impose reasonable conditions including advance payment, identification, or other verification. The Delegate shall not raise as a defence to payment, or as a ground for refund or rescission, any alleged absence of formal countersignature, provided any of the acts in Clause 2.1 has occurred. The Delegate Pass is personal to the named Delegate and shall not be assigned, transferred, shared, sublet, or used by any other person, without the Organiser’s prior written consent. Any purported transfer, sharing, or use without consent shall be void and shall constitute a material breach of this contract, entitling the Organiser to terminate without liability and retain all sums paid.
2.3 The Delegate warrants that all information submitted is complete, accurate, and not misleading, and confirms that it has had the opportunity to seek independent legal advice before entering into this contract. The Delegate further acknowledges that it has entered into this contract in the course of business as a commercial entity, and that the terms have been fairly negotiated and reflect a reasonable allocation of commercial risk.
3. Organiser Control of Event
3.1 The Organiser has discretion over all Event matters, including dates, duration, format (including conversion to hybrid or digital), programme, content, agenda, opening hours, venue layout, access, and security arrangements. The Organiser reserves the right to amend, adjust, modify, reschedule, or reconfigure any aspect of the Event, including session content, speaker line-ups, and venue layout, where it considers such action necessary or reasonably appropriate for operational, technical, commercial, safety, or logistical reasons.
3.2 Any modification, reconfiguration, rescheduling, or change in the Event programme, session line-up, content, speakers, venue layout, or method of delivery shall not entitle the Delegate to cancel, claim compensation, withhold payment, or assert set-off.
4. Delegate Pass and Benefits
The parties acknowledge that the Delegate’s participation in the Event takes the form of attendance under the Delegate Pass, which may include access to conference sessions, exhibition areas, networking events, hospitality, materials, or other benefits as set out in the commercial agreement or registration confirmation.
The specific scope of access (including session tracks, lounge access, and hosted hospitality) is determined by the Delegate Pass type purchased and the Organiser’s programme as published from time to time.
For the avoidance of doubt, all commercial, financial, liability, indemnity, cancellation, termination, and force majeure provisions shall apply in full to all Delegates regardless of the Delegate Pass type.
5. Fees, Payment, Taxes, and Non-Refundability
5.1 The Delegate shall pay all fees, charges, taxes, levies, and sums invoiced by the Organiser in full and in cleared funds by the stated due dates. Unless otherwise agreed in writing or set out in the commercial agreement or registration confirmation, the full Contract Value is due upon registration.
5.2 All sums are payable in UAE Dirhams or US Dollars by wire transfer, locally cleared cheque, or such payment method as the Organiser may accept. All bank or transaction charges are for the Delegate’s account. The Delegate may be denied access to the Event if any sum remains outstanding. Outstanding invoices from a prior edition of the Event will bar future registration until settled in full.
5.3 All amounts are exclusive of VAT and any other applicable taxes or duties, which are payable by the Delegate in addition. Where VAT becomes chargeable on any supply, the Delegate shall pay an amount equal to the VAT due at the same time as the underlying consideration, and the Organiser shall provide a valid tax invoice. Payment shall be made without deduction, withholding, or set-off; if withholding is required by law, the Delegate shall gross up so that the Organiser receives the full invoiced amount.
5.4 All payments are non-refundable. Payment obligations are unconditional and are not affected by any dispute, counterclaim, rescheduling, relocation, format change, visa refusal, illness, or any circumstance affecting the Delegate (including any force majeure or similar event affecting the Delegate, the Delegate’s country of origin, travel, or personal circumstances). The non-refundable nature of payments reflects the Organiser’s upfront commitment of resources, including venue, marketing, programme, staffing, and infrastructure costs, and the reservation of capacity that could otherwise have been allocated.
5.5 The Organiser may suspend issuance of the Delegate Pass, badge, access credentials, and access to the Event, until full payment is made.
5.6 The Delegate shall reimburse the Organiser for all reasonable legal and collection costs incurred in enforcing this contract.
6. Cancellation, Withdrawal, and Reduction
6.1 The Delegate has no right to cancel, terminate, rescind, suspend, or withdraw without the Organiser’s prior written consent. If the Delegate purports to cancel, withdraw, fail to attend, or otherwise repudiate the contract, the full Contract Value becomes immediately due as a debt (where not already paid).
6.2 If the Organiser elects in writing to accept a cancellation, the following charges apply:
The parties agree that these amounts constitute a reasonable pre-estimate of the Organiser’s losses (including venue commitments, marketing, programme, staffing, infrastructure, and lost opportunity) and are payable as agreed compensation for cancellation and not as a penalty. These amounts are payable in full regardless of whether the Organiser’s actual losses are less, and irrespective of any subsequent reallocation or resale of the released capacity. The Organiser nevertheless reserves the right to recover any greater loss it can establish. The Delegate acknowledges that these amounts are fair and reasonable.
The Delegate acknowledges and agrees that: (i) the above amounts represent a genuine and reasonable pre-estimate of the losses likely to be suffered by the Organiser as a result of such cancellation, including without limitation administrative costs, venue commitments, marketing and programme expenditure, staffing costs, and other committed expenses; (ii) such amounts are agreed as liquidated damages and not as a penalty; (iii) the Organiser’s acceptance of any cancellation shall not become effective until all applicable cancellation charges have been paid in full in cleared funds; and (iv) any subsequent reallocation or resale of the released capacity by the Organiser shall not reduce or affect the Delegate’s liability under this Clause. If the Organiser suffers losses exceeding the above amounts, the Organiser reserves the right to recover such additional losses to the extent permitted by applicable law.
6.3 Any partial cancellation, downgrade of the Delegate Pass type, or removal of any benefit is treated as a partial cancellation. The Organiser may re-price the retained Delegate Pass at current rates, remove any discounts previously applied, and charge cancellation fees on the portion reduced. Any subsequent reallocation or resale of the released capacity does not reduce the Delegate’s liability.
6.4 The Delegate acknowledges that any circumstance, event, or condition the impact of which falls primarily on the Delegate, including, without limitation, those affecting its personnel, travel, visa refusal, country of origin, suppliers, logistics, finances, or operations, is a matter within its own sphere of responsibility. No such circumstance, however characterised, shall entitle the Delegate to cancel, withdraw, delay, reduce its obligations, or claim any refund, credit, set-off, or compensation. The Delegate is encouraged to make appropriate contingency and insurance arrangements in relation to its participation in the Event.
7. Default and Termination
7.1 If the Delegate fails to pay when due, materially breaches any obligation, provides inaccurate information, or if the Organiser reasonably considers that the Delegate’s attendance may create legal, reputational, safety, or commercial risk to the Event, the Organiser may, without liability to the Delegate: (a) terminate the contract; (b) revoke the Delegate Pass; (c) refuse admission or remove the Delegate from the Venue; (d) suspend access to digital or hybrid Event content; and (e) retain all monies paid and recover all further sums, losses, and damages.
7.2 The rights in Clause 7.1 are cumulative and without prejudice to the Organiser's other rights.
8. Delegate Obligations
8.1 The Delegate shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations, Venue rules, health and safety requirements, and directions issued by the Organiser. The Delegate shall conduct itself in a professional, lawful, and respectful manner at all times within the Venue and at any related Event activities, and shall not engage in any abusive, discriminatory, harassing, threatening, or unlawful conduct. The Organiser may revoke admission, refuse access, or remove any Delegate whose conduct it reasonably considers inappropriate, unsafe, unlawful, offensive, or inconsistent with the Event, in each case without liability to the Delegate and without refund.
8.2 The Delegate is responsible for arranging its own travel, accommodation, visas, and personal arrangements to attend the Event, and for any costs associated therewith. The Organiser bears no responsibility for the Delegate’s travel, accommodation, or personal arrangements.
9. Insurance and Visas
9.1 Any personal property brought by the Delegate to the Venue is at the Delegate’s sole risk. The Organiser has no responsibility for any loss, damage, theft, or confiscation of Delegate property at or in connection with the Venue or the Event.
9.2 The Delegate is solely responsible for obtaining all passports, visas, permits, and governmental clearances necessary for the Delegate’s travel to and attendance at the Event. Failure or refusal to obtain any such document shall not excuse performance and shall not entitle the Delegate to any refund, credit, or compensation.
9.3 The Delegate is strongly recommended to arrange, at its own cost, appropriate personal travel insurance covering medical, cancellation, baggage, personal liability, and personal property risks for the duration of its travel to and attendance at the Event. The Organiser does not provide insurance cover for Delegates.
10. Liability and Indemnity
10.1 The Delegate attends at its own risk. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Organiser shall have no liability for any loss, injury, damage, cost, or expense, whether direct, indirect, consequential, incidental, or economic (including loss of profit, revenue, goodwill, opportunity, data, or contracts), arising from or connected with the Event, including theft, fire, accident, security incidents, utility failure, weather, force majeure, acts of authorities or third parties, cancellation, postponement, rescheduling, relocation, format change, illness, or the conduct of other participants. Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude or limit any liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable mandatory UAE law, and the provisions of this Clause 10 shall apply only to the fullest extent permitted by such law.
10.2 The Delegate shall indemnify and hold harmless the Organiser against all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, penalties, fines, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from: the Delegate’s attendance and conduct at the Event; any personal injury, death, or property damage caused by the Delegate; any breach of these Terms by the Delegate; any intellectual property infringement by the Delegate; and any act or omission of the Delegate.
10.3 Subject to Clause 10.1, the Organiser’s total aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with this contract shall not exceed the aggregate sums actually paid by the Delegate to the Organiser under this contract, excluding VAT, taxes, and any reimbursed third-party costs. The limitations in this Clause 10 apply to the fullest extent permitted by law and survive termination.
10.4 No Claim by the Delegate may be brought unless written notice is given within Thirty (30) days after the Event closing date.
11. Force Majeure, Event Changes, and Rescheduling
11.1 The Organiser may, without liability, cancel, postpone, curtail, reschedule, relocate, suspend, convert to any format (including hybrid or digital), close early, delay opening, operate with restrictions, or otherwise modify the Event, whether as a result of force majeure or any other circumstance affecting safety, viability, legality, practicality, or commercial feasibility, including circumstances where continued operation is, in the Organiser’s reasonable opinion, not commercially viable or reputationally appropriate.
11.2 The Organiser may reschedule the Event to any date within twenty-four (24) months of the originally scheduled Opening Date. Any rescheduling shall not constitute cancellation, termination, frustration, breach, or a material change to this contract, and shall not give rise to any right of cancellation, withdrawal, refund, credit, damages, or set-off. The contract continues in full force on the rescheduled dates on the same terms, including where rescheduling is partial, phased, or involves multiple staging dates.
11.3 Force majeure includes, without limitation: fire, flood, storm, earthquake, epidemic, pandemic, public health emergency, war, armed conflict, terrorism, civil unrest, riot, strike, lockout, utility or supply-chain failure, cyber incident, government action, sanctions, embargo, travel restriction or advisory, flight cancellation, closure of airspace or borders, venue unavailability, regulatory change, court order, or any other cause beyond the Organiser's reasonable control or which renders holding the Event materially impractical, unsafe, or commercially unviable, including escalation or continuation of regional or international conflict affecting the United Arab Emirates or the wider Middle East region. For the avoidance of doubt, the classification of an event as force majeure shall be determined solely by the Organiser acting reasonably in the circumstances.
11.4 In any such case, the Organiser may retain all sums paid and require payment of outstanding sums to the extent reasonably necessary to cover the Organiser’s committed costs and losses. The Delegate shall have no right to any refund, credit, rebate, damages, compensation, or reimbursement, whether under contract, at law, in equity, or otherwise. The Delegate acknowledges that this reflects the Organiser’s unrecoverable costs and constitutes a fair and reasonable allocation of risk. Nothing in this Clause shall be construed as excluding or limiting any liability which cannot be excluded under mandatory applicable law. The Organiser may, at its sole discretion, offer alternative participation formats, digital access, credits, or rollovers, without creating any obligation or precedent.
11.5 The non-refund and non-compensation provisions of this Clause 11 apply regardless of whether the circumstance giving rise to the change, cancellation, postponement, or rescheduling affects the Event itself, the Organiser, the Delegate, or any third party. The Delegate accepts that circumstances affecting its own ability to participate, including those described in Clause 6.4, shall not discharge the contract, suspend payment obligations, or give rise to any right of refund, credit, compensation, or set-off on any basis, whether under contract, at law, in equity, in tort, in restitution, under any doctrine of hardship, impossibility, or frustration, or otherwise, including, without limitation, visa refusal, travel disruption, financial distress, internal restructuring, or logistical failure.
11.6 If the Organiser elects, at its discretion, to offer any credit, transfer, or substitute participation right, it may do so on such terms as it determines. Any such election shall not create a precedent or obligation, and may be withdrawn or modified at any time prior to issuance.
11.7 The Organiser shall notify the Delegate of any rescheduling or material change as soon as reasonably practicable by email, website publication, or other appropriate means.
12. Intellectual Property, Data, and Entire Agreement
12.1 The Delegate grants the Organiser a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive licence to use the Delegate’s name, organisation, title, image, and likeness for the purposes of promoting, operating, reporting on, and archiving the Event (including in delegate directories, social media, press, and marketing). The Organiser may photograph, film, record, livestream, and otherwise capture the Event (including the presence and image of the Delegate) and use such content for marketing, archive, broadcasting, third-party licensing, and editorial purposes without additional compensation. The Delegate warrants that it holds all necessary rights and shall indemnify the Organiser against any claim arising from such use.
12.2 The Delegate consents to the Organiser collecting and processing the Delegate’s contact details, registration data, badge-scan and engagement data at the Event, and to the Organiser sharing such data with Sponsors, Exhibitors, Country Presenters, and other Event participants whose stands, sessions, activations, or content the Delegate engages with (including by badge scan, content download, app interaction, or competition entry). The Organiser will process such data in accordance with applicable data protection laws (including UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data, where applicable). The Delegate may withdraw consent for future sharing by written notice to the Organiser; data already shared is unaffected.
12.3 The Delegate acknowledges that it has not relied on any representation, warranty, or forecast regarding attendance, programme content, speaker line-up, networking opportunities, or Event success. These Terms, together with the accepted registration and any commercial agreement, constitute the entire agreement between the parties and supersede all prior discussions. No amendment is effective unless in writing and signed by the Organiser.
12.4 Subject to the Delegate’s compliance with these Terms, the Organiser grants to the Delegate a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, royalty-free, revocable licence to identify themselves as having attended the Event in factual terms in their own bio, social presence, or professional materials. The Delegate may not use the Event name, logo, or marks for any commercial purpose, endorsement, or implied affiliation without the Organiser’s prior written consent. The Delegate acquires no ownership, goodwill, or other proprietary right in the Event marks, all of which remain the sole property of the Organiser.
12.5 All recordings, photographs, films, and other audio-visual materials of the Event (including session recordings, ambient capture of attendees, and stand activations) are owned by the Organiser. The Delegate consents to incidental capture of the Delegate’s image, voice, and likeness, and waives, to the extent permitted by law, any personality rights or claims to control such capture. The Organiser may use such materials for marketing, archive, broadcasting, third-party licensing, editorial purposes, and the training of artificial intelligence and machine-learning systems for any lawful purpose. Where the Delegate participates as a speaker, panellist, or contributor, the Delegate grants the Organiser a worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free licence to use such contribution for the same purposes.
13. Damage and Recovery
13.1 The Delegate shall not leave any property at the Venue. Any personal property left behind may, at the Organiser’s discretion, be removed, stored, or disposed of at the Delegate’s risk and cost. The Delegate is responsible for any damage caused by it to the Venue or any third-party property at the Venue; the Organiser’s reasonable assessment of the cost of reinstatement shall be binding save in the case of manifest error.
13.2 As security for amounts due to the Organiser, the Organiser may revoke the Delegate Pass, suspend access to digital or hybrid Event content, withhold any post-Event materials, certificates, or recordings ordinarily provided to Delegates, and exercise any contractual lien permitted by law over any Delegate property at the Venue.
14. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
14.1 These Terms are governed by the laws of the Emirate of Dubai and the federal laws of the United Arab Emirates as applicable in Dubai.
14.2 Any dispute commenced by the Delegate arising out of or in connection with these Terms shall be referred, at the Delegate 's election, either to arbitration under the Arbitration Rules of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) or to the courts of Dubai. Any DIAC arbitration shall be conducted before a sole arbitrator, seated in Dubai, in the English language, and the award shall be final, binding, confidential, and enforceable under the New York Convention 1958 where applicable.
14.3 Any dispute commenced by the Organiser may, at the Organiser's sole option, be referred to: (a) DIAC arbitration under Clause 14.2; (b) the courts of Dubai; or (c) the courts of any other jurisdiction in which the Delegate is incorporated, resident, domiciled, carries on business, or holds assets. The Delegate irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of each such forum and waives any objection based on venue or inconvenient forum.
14.4 Service of process, notices, and court or arbitral documents may be validly effected at the address given in the application by hand, registered post, international courier, or email. Nothing in this Clause 14 prevents the Organiser from seeking interim or protective relief in any court of competent jurisdiction. Where applicable, the Delegate irrevocably waives any claim to sovereign or state immunity in respect of these Terms.
15. General Provisions
15.1 If any provision is held invalid or unenforceable, it shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary or severed, and the remainder shall continue in full force. A failure to exercise any right is not a waiver; any waiver must be in writing. The Organiser may assign or subcontract its rights and obligations; the Delegate may not do so without the Organiser's prior written consent.
15.2 Notices must be in writing and may be delivered by hand, registered post, courier, or email. Notices are deemed received: on delivery if by hand; on the third business day after dispatch if by post or courier; and on the date of sending if by email (absent delivery failure). The Organiser may also give notice via the Event website.
15.3 Clauses 5 (Fees, Payment, Taxes), 6 (Cancellation), 7 (Default), 10 (Liability), 11 (Force Majeure), 12 (IP and Data), 13 (Removal, Damage, and Lien), 14 (Governing Law), this Clause 15, and Clause 16 survive termination, expiry, cancellation, or rescheduling of the contract.
15.4 The Delegate acknowledges that: (a) it has read and understood these Terms; (b) it has had the opportunity to take independent legal and commercial advice; (c) it enters into this contract voluntarily; and (d) it considers these Terms to be fair and reasonable.
16. Confidentiality
16.1 Each party shall keep strictly confidential, and shall not disclose to any third party without the other party's prior written consent:
(a) these Terms, the application, and all related documents and correspondence;
(b) all commercial, financial, and pricing information exchanged between the parties, including registration fees, discounts, incentives, group rates, and any bespoke commercial accommodation;
(c) all discussions, requests, and correspondence relating to postponement, rescheduling, relocation, cancellation, withdrawal, refunds, credit notes, payment deferrals, or any variation or accommodation sought by or granted to either party;
(d) all disputes, claims, complaints, and any mediation, consultation, settlement discussion, arbitration, or court proceeding arising from or relating to this contract, including its existence, substance, conduct, and outcome; and
(e) any other non-public information concerning the Organiser, the Event, the Venue, or any other participant acquired in connection with this contract.
16.2 The restrictions in Clause 16.1 do not apply to information which is publicly available (other than through breach), was lawfully held before disclosure, is required to be disclosed by law or a competent authority, or is disclosed on a need-to-know basis to directors, employees, professional advisers, auditors, or insurers who are bound by equivalent duties of confidence.
16.3 Neither party shall issue any public announcement, press release, or social-media statement concerning the matters in Clause 16.1(b) to (d) without the other party’s prior written consent. The Organiser’s promotional rights under Clause 12.1, and the Delegate’s rights under Clause 12.4, are unaffected.
16.4 This Clause 16 survives termination, expiry, cancellation, or rescheduling for three (3) years, and the Organiser may seek injunctive relief in addition to damages for any breach.