BECA reports stellar third quarter results

BECA reported growth in total contract bookings at the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre (BIEC) driven by continued strong performance in the Authority's venue management business segment.

BIEC is running at 100% occupancy for 2008 and 2009, with many bookings already confirmed from 2010 to 2013.

Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen, BECA Acting CEO, reported the results in a presentation to BECA's Board of Directors led by H.E. Dr. Hassan A. Fakhro, Chairman of the Board, and Minister of Industry and Commerce.

Highlights for the third quarter include double-digit year-over-year contract bookings growth from 2007 until 2009; 10 new exhibitions (public and/or trade) with multiple-year contracts commencing 2009; three new international medical congresses for Bahrain; two, world-ranking sporting events; signing of Memorandums of Understanding with Gulf Air and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI); generation of additional revenue streams and upgrading of BIEC facilities; increased focus on the lucrative international association market; arranging of site inspections and familiarisation trips to Bahrain of buyers, planners and journalists from Australia, Europe and North America.

BECA achieved a key milestone during the third quarter 2008 when it successfully made the case for a new Expo City for Bahrain before H.H. The Prime Minister of Bahrain Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and the Cabinet, securing the Government's unanimous approval and support for the new Expo City in Sakhir.

This will increase the Centre's exhibit and meeting capacity ten-fold.

With the groundbreaking of the project scheduled for the first quarter of 2009, the $200m landmark project is scheduled to be commissioned by 2011.

Success in exhibition & meetings segment

"We are delighted at the success of BECA in the exhibitions and meetings segment. The quality and number of events and the level of attendees that BECA has brought into Bahrain are testament to its international destination marketing efforts and active participation in key MICE industry events such as IMEX (Meetings and Incentive Travel Exhibition) in Frankfurt, EIBTM (Exhibition for the Conference, Incentives, Events, Business Travel and Meetings industry) in Barcelona, ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association), UFI (Union des Foires Internationales), MPI (Meeting Professionals International)."

says Ms. Stanford-Kristiansen.

"We hope to bring more high-level events to Bahrain as they bring significant benefits to the local economy by contributing expenditure effects to and providing jobs for the exhibition industry as well as other service industries and supporting sectors including tourism, aviation, hotels, food and beverage, retail, stand design and construction, logistics and freight forwarding."

BECA, according to Ms. Stanford-Kristiansen, is also diversifying and focusing on the highly lucrative international association market which brings in anywhere between 3,000 and 15,000 delegates to a destination, with each out-of-town attendee booking at least a three-night stay in a hotel.

"In addition, we are encouraging more sporting and family entertainment-type events at the BIEC such as the sell-out Eid concert of Amr Diab."

she said.

"Bahrain's new exhibition and convention centre will be equipped with state-of-the art facilities that will make it suitable to hold concurrent events of every nature."

Bahrain's international medical conferences which will take place in 2009 include the 10th International Congress of the Saudi-based Middle East African Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO), the inaugural HIMSS Middle East organised by US-based Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society and the Medical and Industrial Laser Exhibition & Congress by the Saudi-based World Academy of Laser Applications.

Next month, BIEC will serve as the venue for the 62nd IFBB (International Federation of BodyBuilders) World Men's Body Building Championship which runs 5th to 6th November as well as the World Snooker Tournament, the first world-ranking snooker tournament in the Middle East for 14 years.

This will take place from the 8th until the 15th of November and will include 16 of the world's top ranking players including Ronnie O'Sullivan; Stephen Hendry, MBE and Stephen Maguire.