Category Archives: Exhibitions

Abu Dhabi Airports takes part at the Bahrain International Air Show being held from November 14 to 16 at the Sakhir Airbase so as to exhibit alongside partners at the UAE national pavilion. Commenting on Abu Dhabi Airports’ participation at the Middle East’s fastest growing airshow, Bryan Thompson, CEO, Abu Dhabi Airports, said, “Abu Dhabi now serves as a remarkable global example in providing air transport services that meet the highest international standards. Participation in the Bahrain International Air Show comes as part of our commitment to enhancing and bolstering our leading status in the air transport sector. “Our participation alongside key partners allows us to raise awareness about the astonishing developments being realised throughout Abu Dhabi in the aviation sector and related areas. Our participation here over the course of three days serves to highlight the pivotal role that the air transport and aerospace sector play in contributing to the national economy, which has been achievable. Thanks to joint cooperation and support across local authorities.” In 2017, Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) was named ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ by the Airport Service Quality Awards for the second consecutive year. AUH has also prioritised sustainability, and last year became the first airport in the region to sign the Airports Sustainability Declaration.

Gulf Air and Etihad are set to explore deeper cooperation following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the Bahrain International Airshow. The wide-ranging MOU covers scope to introduce joint codeshare operations between Abu Dhabi and Manama, as well as on the global flight networks beyond the two carriers’ GCC hubs. The MOU also contains plans for greater commercial cooperation in the fields of cargo, engineering, guest experience and the optimisation of pilot training facilities. It was signed by Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group and Krešimir Kučko, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Air on the first day of the ongoing show at the Sakhir Airbase. Krešimir Kučko said, “The relationship between Bahrain and the UAE is strong in many fields, including aviation and with the signing of this MOU, we enrich the relationship by cooperating with Etihad Airways. This is an example of how two airlines can work hand-in-hand for greater mutual benefits. We are happy to work with our friends and colleagues in Etihad and support each other to achieve bigger goals.” According to Tony Douglas, “The deep ties between Abu Dhabi and Manama are well-known in the aviation world and date back nearly 70 years. Therefore, the natural way to build upon those ties is to examine ways in which the two flag carriers can work more closely together to improve business operations and enhance the experience for our guests. We look forward to the Etihad and Gulf Air teams coming together during the next few months to look at how we can put that in place, whether it is in codeshare, engineering, cargo, or through our frequent flyer programmes.”

The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) is hosting its 57th chapter in Dubai. Running till November 14, the four-day conference is being attended by over 1,150 senior industry professionals and association meeting planners from across 75 countries. Congress delegates have descended on the city from across the world to experience a dynamic programme of education, networking and business opportunities. ICCA and Dubai Business Events have collaborated to create an exciting offering of forward-thinking education sessions, site visits to Dubai’s most innovative enterprises and a social programme showcasing the best of Emirati cultural delights and local hospitality. Welcoming delegates to the congress, His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, said, “Business events are a crucial part of not only our tourism strategy, but our wider economic development. Whether through the year-round calendar of home-grown trade shows or major congresses like the ICCA congress that we successfully bid for – we understand and use the power of meetings and conferences to facilitate the rapid transition to a knowledge economy, and to grow scientific advancement and key industry sectors in Dubai and the UAE.” Nina Freysen-Pretorius, President, ICCA, said, “I would like to once again thank ICCA for selecting Dubai to host this congress, and to the Local Host Committee and all stakeholders involved for their role in planning. Our thanks also go to all the sponsors and supporting organisations of this event. The number of international association meetings has doubled every ten years since the establishment of ICCA 55 years ago, and we have identified the Middle East as an important growth area. In fact, we now have a dedicated seat for the region on our board, a permanent regional …

Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) debuts its engaging and multifunctional booth under the theme “Embracing China, Expanding Partnership” at the First China International Import Expo (CIIE) at the National Exhibition and Conventional Centre in Shanghai. The CIIE held from November 5 to 10 aimed at gathering government officials, business communities, exhibitors and professional purchasers from across the world, and providing new channels for countries and regions to do business, strengthening cooperation and promoting the prosperity of global economics and trade. According to the CIIE, about 2,800 companies from more than 130 countries and regions will showcase products to an estimated 150,000 buyers at this 6-day event. Etihad Aviation Group participated in the CIIE as an exhibitor with a dedicated stand covering more than 100 square meters at the trade in services sector in the business pavilion area. For the first time, Etihad Aviation Group exhibited its various business divisions to Chinese and international customers, including award-winning passenger and cargo services and products, state-of-the-art aviation training facilities for pilots and crew, industry-leading aircraft maintenance and engineering solutions, full event and leisure planning services by its destination management division, and much more. Tony Douglas, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “China is a strategically important market for Etihad. We have steadily and sustainably grown our presence in this country since we first entered the market in 2008. Currently, we operate daily flights between Abu Dhabi and China’s four main gateways – Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Hong Kong – and dedicated 777 freighter services between Abu Dhabi and two key trading ports in China: Shanghai and Hong Kong.” China is the key trading partner of the UAE with non-oil trade expected to rise …

The UAE has made significant achievements with recent airspace restructuring, according to speakers at Global Air Traffic Management (GATM). At the event, delegates had deleberations about achievements, challenges and opportunities the industry is facing. During  his welcome address, Ibrahim Ahli, Deputy CEO, Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans), said, “The objective for the UAE is to align its strategic plan with the global plan and methodology.” Mentioning further that Dubai International Airport is busy 24*7, he stated how many European airports are unable to achieve this due to curfews. He informed that while it presents opportunities, we must remain mindful of challenges too. He said, “Even minor routine maintenance can present challenges when you are open 24*7.” Giving the keynote address, Mohammed Al Dossari, Director, Air Navigation and Aerodromes Department, General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) discussed the need for the region to embrace the Global Air Navigation plan while expanding upon the improvement opportunities it offers for operations and how it can align with the UAE’s 2020 goals. “The UAE successfully completed phase three of the airspace restructuring project in an extremely tight time frame,” he mentioned. “This has increased the UAE airspace access and we are on track to meet our predictions for forecast capacity for 2020.” Delegates at GATM heard a real world example of how digitisation can revolutionise air traffic management, with Brett Weihart, CEO, Scandinavian Mountains Airport presenting a case study of the airport’s implementation of the first international airport in the world to be built without a traditional tower. “A traditional tower has a higher investment cost” said Weihart, “and the remote location creates its own difficulties of staff recruitment and retention.” He continued, “The benefits of …

The Dubai HeliShow from November 6 to 8, 2018 at the E2 Royal Pavilion, Al Maktoum International Airport, is set to attract strong international participation from leading global players in the field of civil and military helicopter technology and operations. Set to be held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister, the UAE, and Ruler, Dubai, the event will provide an ideal platform to analyse the emerging trends, learn about the latest technological innovations related to commercial helicopters and various other areas of civil defence and military, and explore prospective partnerships. The participants include Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai South, Dart Aerospace, Transmex Systems Int, Southern Cross Aviation, Flir Systems, DeVore Aviation, Motor Sich Middle East FZE, Vertex Aerospace (L3), Thuraya and Fujairah Aviation Academy to name a few. By bringing together exhibitors, decision makers, government and defence officials, besides commercial customers, owners, users and manufacturers in the industry for meaningful discussions and fruitful partnerships, Dubai HeliShow 2018 highlights the significance of joint efforts in promoting the growth and prosperity of the helicopter and homeland security industry regionally and globally. Ahmad Abulhoul, Managing Director, Domus Group, organisers, Dubai HeliShow 2018, said, “Helicopters are increasingly being utilised in industrial, hospitality and crisis management scenarios including military, transport and cargo, firefighting, rescue and offshore oil support. The high levels of interest expressed by leading international players in the helicopter industry in the event reaffirm the rising global confidence in the region’s potential to become an influential force in defining the future roadmap for the sector. All these factors make the Dubai HeliShow 2018 a strategic platform to showcase and discuss the …

Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is set to promote Sharjah’s unique tourism attractions during its participation at the ongoing World Travel Market (WTM) London, which will conclude on November 7, 2018 at ExCel London. SCTDA is participating at WTM London for the 16th consecutive year, bringing its distinctive tourism product offerings to the UK market featuring Sharjah’s family, culture, soft adventure and eco-tourism destinations. The initiative is in line with SCTDA’s commitment to meet the targets set within the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021 to attract 10 million visitors in the emirate by 2021. HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, SCTDA, said that the Authority’s participation at the global event for the 16th year reflects its continuous efforts to achieve its strategic goals and objectives aimed at targeting major global tourism markets. The authority continuously works towards attracting a greater number of visitors from the UK and Ireland with unique offerings while showcasing a wide range of outstanding experiences and continuing to increase our international network in line with Sharjah’s tourism goals. The exhibition is an important addition to our ongoing efforts to provide the most important experiences and tourist products and provide new experiences to our visitors while capitalising on Sharjah’s diverse heritage. SCTDA’s programmes will showcase Sharjah’s unique tourism environment, which is naturally rich in biodiversity and the various tourism developments taking place in the emirate. Al Midfa further emphasised the importance of international exhibitions in promoting Sharjah’s tourism hotspots to the international market and attracting tourists and investors to the emirate, saying “We have seen the growing appeal of Sharjah as a destination for ‘business and leisure’ travellers as business executives learn to optimise long weekends …

His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment has announced that the UAE will contribute US$1.5 million annually for the period 2019 to 2021 cumulatively amounting to US$4.5 million to fund the projects carried out by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). The announcement was made at the GGGI’s Assembly and Council in the presence of His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi, who led the UAE delegation at the assembly. Reiterating the UAE’s commitment to green development, His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi said, “In the UAE, we are resolved to achieving a green economy as per the UAE Green Agenda 2030 adopted by the UAE Cabinet in 2015. During 2017-2018, we have made a lot of progress in the implementation of the Green Agenda 2030 and key policy developments with the assistance of the GGGI Abu Dhabi office team. The UAE Cabinet adopted the National Climate Change Plan 2050 in June 2017, which consolidates the country’s climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives under one integrated framework. As part of the Climate Plan implementation, we have recently conducted a comprehensive climate risk assessment across four key sectors and identified priority climate risks that require us to develop appropriate adaptation measures.” Highlighting one of the initiatives in green development in the UAE, His Excellency added, “The development of green growth indices is not new to us. We have already set 41 Green Key Performance Indicators to track the UAE’s progress towards achieving a green economy and offer regular updates through the UAE State of Green Economy Report. Furthermore, we launched the UAE Green Dashboard just last week, an open data platform which allows anyone to access and analyse underlying …

Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) is set to host a series of leading international events in its venues in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain during November 2018, covering key economic sectors like oil & gas, real-estate, investment and healthcare. The exhibitions and congresses to be held this month are significant to Abu Dhabi as these focus on key economic sectors identified in the Abu Dhabi Plan and its Economic Vision 2030, which falls in line with ADNEC’s strategy to enhance the emirate’s position as the region’s capital for business tourism. Currently, ADNEC is hosting the 10th edition of the International Real Estate and Investment Show (IREIS) running from November 1 to 3. It provides a platform to local and regional real estate companies to showcase their latest projects and offer the best investment opportunities by gathering investors, stakeholders and visitors under one roof. Exhibitors from Egypt, Spain, Morocco, Pakistan, Cyprus, the United Kingdom and the United States have their presence at the show, seeing more than 100 real estate companies showcasing over 300 projects. The Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) will be held from November 12 to 15 under the patronage of HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President, the UAE. At the event, world’s leading industry experts, policy makers and specialists will discuss the prospects of the energy sector in the country, the region and the world. Over 2,200 exhibitors from different countries will network, exchange experiences and best practices and showcase the leading technologies and business opportunities in this sector. The exhibition is supported by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), UAE Ministry of Energy and Industry, and the Abu Dhabi Chamber, and …

One of the most important MiCE events in the emirate of Sharjah, this year’s Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) opened under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member, Supreme Council and Ruler, Sharjah. Now in its 37th year, the fair has attracted visitors from across the globe and is considered as the second-largest book fair in the world. This edition will be hosting more than 20 million books from 1.6 million titles, 80,000 of which are new titles, and 1,874 publishing houses from 77 countries. The event will be curating 1800 events and featuring 472 guests from around the world with 200 book signing ceremonies for authors from 19 countries. Japan is the Guest of Honour at this year’s edition in celebration of its cultural and creative achievements. SIBF will be organising more than 100 activities comprising 13 Japanese authors and creative artists. The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) announced the launch of its interactive blog during its participation at the SIBF, with an aim to encourage visitors and residents of Sharjah to share their positive experiences in the emirate. The blog provides an ideal platform to share memorable experiences of visits to the emirate’s tourism and entertainment sites. In a move to better engage audiences, SCTDA’s blog will run a contest encouraging participants to write articles on their views and personal experiences about Sharjah in 300 to 400 words. Participants must focus on one of the three main categories – Culture and Heritage; Food and Street Food and Adventures and submissions, and it can include photos and a video. The participants should submit their entries through the official website www.visitsharjah.com for …