JEDDAH, 19 February 2005 — Airport development and expansions worth more than $13 billion are currently taking place across the Gulf, and this rapid growth will be reflected when the industry’s regional showcase event for suppliers kicks off in Dubai in May.
Just over three months before the start of the Airport Build & Supply Exhibition, event organizers Streamline Marketing report that exhibition space sold is already 30 percent up on last year.
“Our research shows that construction and rehabilitation projects worth over $13 billion are currently under way or just about to start at airports throughout the Gulf region,” said Nick Webb, director, Streamline Marketing.
“With the UAE recently ranked amongst the world’s top five fastest growing aviation markets by IATA, we expect this figure to rise considerably over the next few years.”
“The level of airport infrastructure investment in the Gulf countries continues to be very high and this is a big attraction for the world’s leading airport suppliers who view the Airport Build & Supply Exhibition as a unique opportunity to make inroads into the region,” he said.
Taking place from May 23 to 25 at Airport Expo Dubai, the event attracts a targeted audience of regional departments of civil aviation, government officials, VIPs and Middle East-based consultants and contractors behind many of the region’s airport development projects.
Apart from the $4.1 billion revamp of Dubai International Airport and the building of the $5 billion New Doha International Airport, projects attracting the attention of suppliers include the $272 million Jebel Ali Airport, expected to start catering to cargo, logistics and charter flights once its first phase is completed by 2006.
Phase two of the project will see the airport open up to budget carriers, which currently do not have access to the Dubai International Airport.
Other developments include a new $800 million airport in the UAE emirate of Ajman.
In Saudi Arabia, feasibility studies are being performed on plans for a new regional airport in the Madinah Province at the coastal town of Dhuba, while a $1.5 billion expansion of the King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah is now in progress.
While the Airport Build & Supply Exhibition has emerged as a major forum for the selection and pre-qualification of suppliers for projects around the Gulf, the organizers are now generating the same level of interest from officials in countries in the rest of the Middle East, as well as Africa and South Asia, where governments are investing heavily in airport infrastructure.
“As the region continues to generate a significant portion of the global demand for airport supplies, attracting aviation decision makers from across the Middle East, Africa and Indian Subcontinent to the event is a priority for us every year,” Webb said.
Held under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed ibn Saeed Al-Makhtoum, president of the Department of Civil Aviation, Dubai and chairman of Emirates Group, the exhibition also enjoys the support of the French Airport & ATC Technology Trade Association (PROAVIA), which represents the interests of 40 major French manufacturers. A strong contingency of Chinese exhibitors is also expected, while there will be dedicated pavilions representing German Airport Technology & Equipment (GATE), British Airports Group and Netherlands Airport Technology (NAT).
All exhibitors have pre-arranged meetings with the relevant project manager, engineer or architect in the Dubai DCA, enabling them to discuss Dubai International Airport’s expansion as well as the new Jebel Ali Airport.
