Carpet Oasis sales reach AED 8 million during first ten days of DSF 2006-2007

2000 visitors turned up during this period for the exhibition that will remain open until the 2nd of February, 2007. The event is being held at the Dubai Airport Exhibition Centre.

Abdurahman Eesa, Head of the Organising Committee for Carpet Oasis said that he expects the total sales at Carpet Oasis during DSF to reach AED 50 million and an equivalent amount of sales agreed upon between merchants bringing the total to AED 100 million. The sales this year will exceed last year's actual sales by AED 10 million, he said.

"The Carpet Oasis was launched in 1996 during DSF and in the previous years, the exhibition has featured premium carpet manufacturers and antique exhibitors from around the world. The exhibition has been growing in fame and is today one among the well-known handmade carpet exhibitions in the world. The quality of the products and the number of participants are testimony to the growing popularity of the event," said Abdurahman Eesa.

"Carpet Oasis features 150 local, regional, and international handmade carpet manufacturers with about 150,000 pieces of exquisite carpets made of wool, silk, and other premium materials showcased for visitors," he added.

The importance of the exhibition is the fact that it has contributed substantially to the economy of Dubai and in the course of time, made Dubai an important destination for carpet buyers and traders. An interesting feature of the exhibition is that the carpets sold are priced lower than in the countries where they are manufactured.

"The carpet expo is one among the major events to be held during the shopping festival and it has shown a huge growth in an economic and trading way. The area of the exhibition and the number of products exhibited has also increased during the years. The exhibition covers a massive 12,000 square metres and contains 150,000 carpets from around the world including products from Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, and Eastern Europe. The total value of the exhibits reach AED 1 billion," added Eesa.

Like all major exhibitions, the Carpet Oasis is a centre for making trade deals and in the previous years sales have reached AED 90 million in addition to the deals made between merchants and clients at the end of DSF. The exhibition attracts thousands of visitors every year who are keen on buying beautifully woven carpets from different regions of the world.

The carpets exhibited in the expo are of superior quality and include luxurious handmade carpets from Isfahan, Kum, Naeem, Hamdan, and Tabreez in addition to the Hareeqi, Indian, Afghani, and Pakistani ones. The handmade rugs feature designs that reflect the culture and tradition of each region.

"All exhibitors at Carpet Oasis are provided certain privileges that make it easy for them to exhibit their goods," said Eesa. "Customs regulations are eased for the participants when they bring in and take out products from Dubai. In addition to intensive media coverage, the participants are provided free visas to enter the country and an official inauguration is done in the presence of important officials and the media," he added.

Eesa also mentioned that apart from the carpet exhibition, the expo also hosted numerous cultural events like 'Images from the Past', a special showing of photographs submitted by students of higher technology colleges from across the U.A.E.

"The Carpet Oasis also includes workshops and live exhibitions during the DSF to educate shoppers and visitors on how handmade carpets are made and colours and patterns are chosen. The exhibition must not be missed with its draws and prizes and provides entertainment for the whole family," he concluded.

The combined edition of DSF 2006-2007 will run from December 20, 2006 to February 2, 2007. The 45 days of family fun, entertainment and shopping frenzy will offer retrospective glimpses of the 10 previous editions combining the best of the best and promises to be even bigger and better.