Although it is officially unacceptable to be trading with Iran - and none of the coin machine industry at the DEAL show in Dubai, which opened yesterday (Monday) would admit to doing so - it was noticeable this year that there was an influx of visitors from Iran.
The logic leads to the only conclusion that there may be a ‘back door’ to dealing with Iran, although none would vouch for it. The Iranians, however, were just one of many nationalities filing through the doors of The Arena at the World Trade Centre in the UAE city. Thirty countries were expected to be represented in the visitor list, to see the products of 200 companies on the show floor. It was, indeed, a record show in terms of space occupied.
It was indeed difficult to perceive that for much of the Middle East political unrest and downright revolution was taking place to one degree or another right across the region. Most observers from the industry felt that the amusement industry, represented in the main through family entertainment centres in major shopping malls, would ‘fly under the radar’ of any new administrations emerging from the troubles. Indeed, the mood of the show, of the exhibitors and of the visitors, demonstrated not just on the show floor but in the seminar programme too, was decidedly upbeat.
A full report on the show will appear in the May issue of InterGame.
