Expo Centre Sharjah to make Qatar foray

Continuing its drive to expand into new markets, Expo Centre Sharjah is planning to organise some of its prominent trade shows in Qatar in association with the Qatar National Convention Centre and Qatar Expo. The foundation for this strategic partnership was laid during the recent visit of Mr Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, Director-General of Expo Centre Sharjah, to Qatar, when he met Adam Mather-Brown, General Manager, Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC), and other senior officials of QNCC and Qatar Expo. “We already have tie-ups with Iraq, Oman and Kuwait in the region and it was natural for us to explore the Qatar market, and with Qatar being the world’s fast-growing economy it makes good economic sense too,” said Saif. According to reports, Qatar has overtaken Kuwait as the third largest economy within the six-nation GCC after Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Qatar, which is the world’s top liquefied natural gas exporter, is pumping billions of dollars into infrastructure projects to host the soccer World Cup in 2022. “Qatar is the hot and happening meetings and conventions market in the Gulf. And in QNCC and Qatar Expo we have great partners who have cut their teeth in the exhibitions business there. We have discussed the modalities of introducing some of our premier shows in Qatar,” said Midfa. Qatar’s infrastructure and construction market is expected to outperform even developed economies by averaging a growth rate of 12.5 per cent a year in this decade, a Commercialbank Capital report said. In comparison, the construction market growth in the European countries will average just 1.7 per cent to 2020, it said. Trade between the UAE and Qatar reached US$ 2.15 billion in 2011, and is set to surge on the back of Qatar’s announcement that it will spend 27 per cent more in the current fiscal. During his visit, Midfa toured QNCC and was briefed on the new centre’s facilities. A member of the Qatar Foundation, QNCC has exceeded its revenue target well before the end of the first year of operation. During its first seven months, QNCC hosted 128 events, attracting more than 128,000 visitors.