The Middle East Toy Fair announces formation of Advisory Panel

Exclusive distributors of licensed products, one of the Middle East's largest toy stores, and a renowned media company - The Toy Store, Emsons, Simba Toys Middle East, Kidz Inc., Al Shula Trading and MBC Group - merge together to form The Middle East Toy Fair Advisory Panel for 2008. The exhibition is scheduled to take place from the 31st March to 2nd April 2008 in Dubai.
Eckhard Pruy, the CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, organizer of the Middle East Toy Fair, stated:

"I'm extremely delighted to have such distinguished companies so enthusiastic to be a part of the advisory board. We are dedicated to showcasing the latest market trends, and the advisory board will act as a catalyst to bringing pioneering ideas and external market expertise to make sure the Middle East Toy Fair proves to be a pivotal industry event for the market."

The youth market of the Middle East is one of the world's fastest growing; nearly 50% of the Middle East's population is under 16 years of age. The average yearly expenditure per child on toys and video/computer games in the Middle East is US$327, which makes it twice the level of expenditure in Europe and the second largest spend after North America.

83% of exhibitors, who participated in the Middle East Toy Fair in 2007, established that their overall objectives in terms of sourcing contacts for future sales were achieved. The latest edition of the Middle East Toy Fair attracted more than 6,100 attendees, including media and buyers from around the world. The figures reveal the ample amount of opportunity that the Middle East Toy Fair offers to its exhibitors.

The Toy Store is a part of the Gulf Greetings Group which also comprises the Hallmark shops. It has a strong presence of 4 showrooms in the Middle East and has one of the biggest toy shops in the region.

Emsons is one of the regions premier distributors of licensed products including toys, plush, gifts, hobby, back-to-school and household items. Some of the brands and licenses they carry include Playmobil, Disney, Marvel, Hit Entertainment and Barbie. Emsons, highlighted the importance of participating in the Middle East Toy Fair in the previous edition, explaining: "It was a wonderful experience and I am sure it will lead to us participating in many more shows ahead. We had a very good response to our booth and our products. We found many new potential customers and suppliers and also created a good impression on our existing customers. All in all it was a wonderful PR effort and we would like to thank the organizers for their support."

Simba Toys Middle East is a subsidiary of the German based Simba-Dickie Group, one of the world's biggest toy manufacturers and distributors. Along with holding Disney License Products such, Simba Toys also offers a wide choice of own brands to enjoy: Simba, Dickie and Eichhorn.

Kidz Inc (Dubai) is the exclusive distributor for a select range of children's games and toys, including Haba, Steiff, Automoblox, Fagus, Spielstabil, Ei-tech, and Micro Mobility Scooters.

Al Shula Trading / Tesleya is a Pan-Arabian distribution company that specializes in high-quality branded and licensed character-based toys and baby products. They are the sole distributors for Mattel / Fisher Price in the Middle East.

MBC (Middle East Broadcasting Centre) is the leading free-to-air, pan-Arab, news and entertainment channel. It is regarded as number one provider of Gulf, national and sports news. It constantly brings to its young viewers new and exciting global brands, including the wide range of Disney cartoons.

The ideas and advice of the members of the Middle East Toy Fair Advisory Panel for 2008 will ensure that the Middle East Toy Fair continues to address the needs of clients and specifiers through the choice and products provided by exhibiting companies. The goal of this advisory board is to create an event for the industry which is shaped by industry experts.