NEW figures show that Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) will host a total of 368 working day’s worth of exhibitions this year, making it officially the busiest year-to-date.
Halfway through the year, the figures for booked and completed shows and conventions top all previous records, with the DWTC set to host a record 92 exhibitions in 2006 at its two venues, the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre and the Airport Expo.
With each exhibition running an average of four days, this adds up to a staggering 368 days of full exhibition time, putting DWTC amongst the top tier of convention and exhibition groups internationally in terms of active time.
Events such as Gitex, Index, the Big 5, Arab Health, Gulfood and the Middle East International Motor Show have become firm dates in the region’s diary, attracting many local, regional and international visitors.
In terms of industry coverage, the 2006 exhibitions hosted by DWTC touch upon almost every important sector within the Middle East economy, from primary sectors through to services like advertising and recruitment.
Major growth areas for the Middle East economies – such as real estate and hospitality – are served by international trade shows, alongside more niche areas, such as coating products and equipment for horses, creating economic opportunities for a wide variety of local and international companies.
“Dubai’s Conference and Exhibition sector is undergoing massive growth and it’s clear that 2006 will be our busiest year to date. With the recent announcement of our expansion plans – creating a 30 percent increase (15,000 sqm. more space) – we feel we are meeting the challenge head-on to ensure that the facilities are available to support the phenomenal growth rates and world-class events that visitors have come to expect in Dubai,” says DWTC director general Helal Saeed Al Marri.
“In terms of ongoing investment and growth, 2006 is only the start,” adds Al Marri. “We have a two-stage development plan that will first see the expansion of existing facilities with the new construction at Dubai International Conference & Exhibitions Centre (DICEC) and, in the second phase, the construction of Dubai Exhibition City, to be located in World Central.”
The current plan features 120,000sqm of exhibition space which will be ready by 2009.