Dubai, UAE: Dubai is well on course to become the home of the world’s largest international airport industry exhibition, as the emirate forges ahead with aviation infrastructure projects worth more than US$ 80 billion. Organisers Streamline Marketing Group announced today that exhibition space sold for the Airport Show, the region’s only dedicated trade show for airport construction, operations, technologies and services, is already up 40 per cent compared with last year. The show, which takes place annually in Dubai, is now on track to be the largest exhibition of its kind in the world. The exhibition, now in its seventh year, attracts the world’s leading airport and aviation suppliers keen to capitalize on the unprecedented growth in the aviation and airport development sectors that the Middle East, India and African region has experienced in recent years.

The latest figures from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority show that Dubai is investing a total of AED 300 billion (approx US$ 81.7 billion) in aviation infrastructure projects, including the US$ 8.2 billion Dubai World Central International Airport in Jebel Ali, set to be the largest international airport in the world, and Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), an investment vehicle to channel US$ 15 billion into creating a global aerospace manufacturing and services corporation. More than US$ 45 billion has been earmarked for the development of airports across the region with over US$ 12.5 billion invested by airports in the UAE alone.

Since its inception in 2001 The Airport Show has grown year on year in line with the boom in the regional aviation sector. More than 500 exhibitors and 5,000 industry visitors from the worldwide aviation sector are expected to attend the 2007 event, a rise of 25 per cent compared with 2006. “The increase in airport development across the region has been fuelled by a marked upturn in tourist arrivals and airline expansions in the Middle East,” said Nick Webb, director of Streamline Marketing Group. “This synergy is well illustrated in the parallel growth of Emirates Airline and the commencement of the massive Dubai World Central International Airport project.

“With the proliferation of new airlines and demands of existing carriers, the Middle East alone will require about 800 additional aircraft, worth well over US$80 billion, over the next 20 years according to Boeing’s Current Market Outlook study.”

The Airport Show takes place from May 28 – 30, 2007 at Airport Expo Dubai under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation, Chairman of Emirates Group and Chairman of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise.

The event has become well established as a major forum for the selection and pre-qualification of suppliers for airport development projects not only in the Gulf area but also across the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and the CIS countries. It attracts a targeted audience of regional Civil Aviation departments, government officials, consultants and contractors behind all the major aviation projects. In 2006 it was visited by official delegations from 47 regional civil aviation authorities and airports.

New features for the Airport Show 2007 will include pavilions dedicated to airport logistics and ground handling companies and new national pavilions for companies from Denmark and Canada joining the six national pavilions which appeared last year. Dubai Aerospace Enterprise and the US$33 billion Dubai World Central project will also be using the event to promote themselves and source partners and suppliers.

All exhibitors qualify for private meetings with decision makers from regional Civil Aviation Authorities and have pre-arranged meetings with ‘Hosted Buyers’ representing those authorities undertaking the largest developments.

Further information:
Dubai World Central: This brand-new city being built at Jebel Ali heralds a new concept in urban planning. Designed to support Dubai’s aviation tourism, commercial and logistics requirements until 2050, this 140-square-kilometre self-sustaining city will eventually be home to 750,000 people. The multi-phase US$33 billion project will be centred around the US$ 8.2 billion Dubai World Central International Airport, set to be the world’s largest international airport, and will comprise of six zones: Dubai Logistics City, Commercial City, Enterprise Park, Residential City, a golf resort and the international airport itself.

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE): Dubai has entered a new phase of development with the announcement of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, an investment vehicle to channel US$15 billion into creating a global aerospace manufacturing and services corporation. Set to target the US$100 billion market for global airport development and operations, aircraft leasing and financing, as well as the specialist education and training segments, DAE is backed by the government of Dubai and supported by six consortium partners.

Other important regional airport developments

• Dubai: Development of Dubai International Airport – US$ 4.1 billion
• Abu Dhabi: Expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport – US$ 6.8 billion
• Qatar: Doha’s new international airport will cost $5.5 billion, creating a strong hub for its growing airline Qatar Airways
• Saudi Arabia: Two new passenger terminals at a cost of $1.5 billion will be added to King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah by 2010
• India: Modernisation of 35 airports across India – US$ 4 billion
• Egypt: Cairo, Sharm El Sheikh and Borg El Arab – US$ 850 million
• Libya: Construction of 6 new airports – US$ 810 million
• Pakistan: New Islamabad and Gwadar international airports – US$ 500 million
• Sudan: New Khartoum international airport – US$ 530 million
• Sri Lanka: Bandaranaike International Airport – US$ 500 million

Source: Streamline Marketing Group
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