Expo Centre Sharjah sees strong growth in H1

Expo Centre Sharjah (ECS) on Monday announced that the first half of the year witnessed strong growth compared to same period last year. 
The centre hosted 15 consumer & trade exhibitions and conferences during the January to June period this year as against nine events during the same period last year, recording more than 65 per cent surge; and attracted 320,000 visitors, registering a 20 per cent rise.
"These figures are a clear indicator of a growing exhibitions industry in the Emirate of Sharjah, and a result of our effective promotion of local industries. What is remarkable about these figures is that the exhibitions industry has successfully withstood the after-effects of low oil prices and geo-political tensions," said Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO, Expo Centre Sharjah.
"The exhibitions hosted by ECS are characterised by their diversity and specialisation, which contributed to attracting more visitors. Our focus on external organisers has also helped in bringing more events to Sharjah. The growth is also a reflection of our superior infrastructure & technical capabilities and marketing prowess," Midfa said.
Expo Centre also took part in several prestigious global events, including the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry's (UFI) Global CEO Summit in Munich in February that saw the participation of 150 top executives of leading exhibition centres from across the world, and the Arab-German Business Forum & the Sharjah-Berlin Seminar in Berlin, besides engaging with World Trade Centers of Wuhan and Tianjin in China.
"Our presence at these conferences and tie-ups gave us an opportunity to promote the Emirate's unique business-friendly attributes and investment opportunities. With the UAE and Sharjah economy on a positive turf despite prevailing uncertainties, Expo Centre is reaping rich benefits," said Midfa.
Since Expo Centre is the UFI's Middle East/Africa Regional Office, and its CEO, Midfa, the chairman of both the Gulf Chapter of IAEE and the MEA Chapter of UFI, Expo Centre led regional celebrations in observing the first Global Exhibitions Day on June 8, raising awareness about the enormous value of the exhibition industry.
The exhibitions held at Expo Centre during this period included SteelFab, International Education Show, National Career Exhibition, Acres Middle East, International Government Communication Forum, Arabia Mold, Plastivision Arabia, Print Pack Arabia, MidEast Watch & Jewellery Show, Sharjah Children's Reading Festival, Chic Lady, Chinese Products Exhibition and Ramadan Village, among others. 
- abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com