Dubai’s DEAL trade show, due to be held at the World Trade Centre March 23-25, is already 68 per cent sold out seven months prior to the event, according to organisers International Expo Consults.
The exhibitors already reflect the product base of the show, equipment mainly for family entertainment centres and including VR/AR, inflatables, arcade redemption, coin-op machines, soft toys, immersive games and 12D cinemas.
The 2019 show attracted over 70 new exhibitors and 53 per cent of visitors came from the Middle East, 14 per cent from Asia and Australia, 15 per cent from Europe, 10 per cent from Africa and 8 per cent from North America.
With 2020’s event coinciding with the giant Expo programme in the UAE, with 190 nations exhibiting and with an estimate of 25 million visitors coming into Dubai for the Expo, the DEAL show has plenty going for it.
Sharif Rahman, CEO at IEC, said: “We are at a very interesting juncture and we expect the industry to unleash some of the best innovations during the upcoming DEAL show. The country is also laying a strong foundation for the industry with excellent infrastructure, state-of-the-art retail establishments and empowering the players within the theme park and amusement industry to thrive in this ecosystem. UAE is poised to become the entertainment capital of the region as it is home to several award winning entertainment venues such as IMG World of Adventures, Legoland, Motiongate, Bollywood Parks, Ferrari World and Warner Bros.
“The region is undergoing a massive transformation and as a result, a meteoric growth is expected to originate from all these changes. DEAL has been a catalyst that has enabled the entertainment and leisure industry in the MENA region to expand further.”
DEAL show this year featured an exclusive USA pavilion, and due to the overwhelming response received by exhibitors from the US, other countries are also discussing with the DEAL organiser, International Expo Consults, to create such exclusive pavilions at the upcoming DEAL 2020 show. DEAL has been a platform that has supported companies from across the globe to establish their footprint in the MENA region.
There were 315 exhibitors this year, 73 of whom were new to the show, from 40 exhibiting countries and the visitors came from 100 countries.
IEC promises next year to have more specialised country-based pavilions and an enhanced seminar session.
