RIYADH: Riyadh will host about half of the total trade fairs approved for 2017 by the Saudi Exhibition and Convention Bureau (SECB).
The supervising committee of the SECB, chaired by Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH), has approved the trade fairs plan for 2017, which includes 134 trade fairs, an SECB official said here Saturday.
The bureau had earlier urged companies licensed to operate conventions and exhibitions in the Kingdom to submit their requests for trade fairs planned in 2017, the official revealed adding that the last date for applications was June 30.
“Riyadh city came first in the number of trade fairs as it will host 49 percent of the total trade fairs, followed by Makkah Province with 31 percent, the Eastern Province with 14 percent and 5 percent divided among Al-Qassim, Madinah and Asir regions,” he said.
He further said 24 percent of the scheduled fairs will be held in the first quarter of the year, 28 percent in the second quarter, 5 percent in the third quarter and 43 percent in the fourth quarter.
About 44 percent of the approved trade fairs will be held for the first time, while the rest are repeated fairs held during the past years, he said, adding that the approved fairs include 114 international fairs and 20 national fairs.
The upcoming fairs cover 17 economic sectors that include the consumer and retail goods sector, construction sector, economic and trade sector, industry sector, health care, and travel and tourism sectors. The official expressed hope that the number of visitors for the upcoming trade fairs in 2017 will cross the 2 million mark.
According to him there was about a 15 percent rise in the licensed fairs in 2016 as compared to 2015, and he expects the rise in visitor numbers to the fairs in 2017 to continue in light of the changes and promotion in the types and quality of trade fairs that will be held.
The supervising committee of the SECB, chaired by Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH), has approved the trade fairs plan for 2017, which includes 134 trade fairs, an SECB official said here Saturday.
The bureau had earlier urged companies licensed to operate conventions and exhibitions in the Kingdom to submit their requests for trade fairs planned in 2017, the official revealed adding that the last date for applications was June 30.
“Riyadh city came first in the number of trade fairs as it will host 49 percent of the total trade fairs, followed by Makkah Province with 31 percent, the Eastern Province with 14 percent and 5 percent divided among Al-Qassim, Madinah and Asir regions,” he said.
He further said 24 percent of the scheduled fairs will be held in the first quarter of the year, 28 percent in the second quarter, 5 percent in the third quarter and 43 percent in the fourth quarter.
About 44 percent of the approved trade fairs will be held for the first time, while the rest are repeated fairs held during the past years, he said, adding that the approved fairs include 114 international fairs and 20 national fairs.
The upcoming fairs cover 17 economic sectors that include the consumer and retail goods sector, construction sector, economic and trade sector, industry sector, health care, and travel and tourism sectors. The official expressed hope that the number of visitors for the upcoming trade fairs in 2017 will cross the 2 million mark.
According to him there was about a 15 percent rise in the licensed fairs in 2016 as compared to 2015, and he expects the rise in visitor numbers to the fairs in 2017 to continue in light of the changes and promotion in the types and quality of trade fairs that will be held.
