Almost 8000 of The Hotel Show visitors attended in 2013 looking to source leisure products - 7% had a budget responsibility of more than US$1 million. The Leisure Show is the ‘show within the show’ that was soft launched last year and attracted a dedicated audience of more than 1500 professionals from theme parks, spa resorts, sports facilities, golf courses, real estate, shopping malls specifically looking for outdoor and leisure products, furnishings, equipment and services.
Christine Davidson, Event Director at The Hotel Show Dubai says: “The leisure and outdoor industry has been growing exponentially over the past few years and now accounts for over 70% of the total travel and tourism spend in the GCC. Indeed, governments worldwide are increasingly investing in tourism to ensure the sectors’ valuable contribution to growth in GDP.”
The Leisure Show is the only B2B event in the Middle East and Gulf region to address the leisure industry in its wider scope. The event addresses the complete supply chain under one roof, also providing a platform for sharing best practice and creating the opportunity to build business and relationships. The Leisure Show at The Hotel Show Dubai 2014, will once again be partnered by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.
The Leisure Show caters to four main sectors: Outdoor Design, Furniture & Equipment; Pool and Spa; Sports & Fitness; and Recreational Fun and Adventure. Its extensive reach represents an ideal platform for both established and newer companies to meet with the designers, architects, contractors, real estate developers, facility owners, managers and decision makers responsible for the estimated $73 billion of leisure projects currently under construction within the GCC.
With the Middle East a cultural hub attracting millions of visitors year on year, the region is also becoming the home for landmarked man made attractions represented in water and theme parks, hotels and resorts as well as sports facilities.
“Trends continue to grow and more projects are in the pipeline,” continues Christine. “For example, the announcement last week that Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has laid out plans for the extensive ‘Mall of the World’ real-estate project which will include a 743,224 square metre mall, a climate-controlled street network, a covered theme park and 100 hotels and serviced apartments.”
Dubai alone, as a business hub for leisure - even pre Expo 2010 - had impressive plans for mega leisure projects. MEED projects estimates the total value of
contracts awarded in the UAE during 2013 concluded at approximately $30 billion, but 2014 will see the value increasing to approximately $35 billion.
David Romano of Canada’s International Play Company, is one of the new exhibitors taking part in The Leisure Show. He comments: “We specialise in commercial indoor play structure, interactive events and outdoor playground and see The Leisure Show Dubai as the perfect platform to meet new and existing clients in Dubai and at an international level too.”
Christine concludes: “The 2013 figures demonstrate the strong reception to the introduction of a Leisure feature within The Hotel Show, Dubai. The demand is evident for all to see and we are delighted to be able to respond to this demand by providing a much larger event this year following its soft launch last year.”
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