Major property investors and developers converge at 'International Property Show Moscow 2008'

Held in Hall 1 of the Crocus Expo International Exhibition Centre in Moscow, the exhibition will run until November 12, with expectations of record footfall in its first edition.

Formally inaugurating the show was, Abdullah Bin Ahmad Al Saleh, Director General of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade, in the presence of Sergey G. Kanaev, Director, Department of Tourism-Commerce-Marketing - Russia, CIS and Baltic States.

Prior to the formal opening, a press conference was held on November 6, 2008 at the Marriott Tverskaya Hotel in Moscow to announce the show. The conference was hosted by Nikolai Bykovskiy, General Director, Trade Mate; Dawood Al Shezawi, Managing Director, Strategic Marketing and Exhibitions; Pierluigi Cassani, Director - Europe, Strategic Marketing & Exhibitions; and Sergio Rossi, an editorialist and independent consultant. The speakers discussed various topics including real estate macroeconomics, the 2008 US presidential elections, Russian market conditions, future global scenarios, cooperation with Moscow's universities, Russian companies in real estate, development in Moscow, Dubai's history and development and opportunities to create a Russian property network.

Commenting on the exhibition, Dawood Al Shezawi said:

"The response to this groundbreaking event has been phenomenal, affirming international confidence in Russia's markets. The presence of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing reflects the UAE's commitment to partnering with Russia on more business prospects, particularly in the burgeoning property sector. We are extremely pleased with the first edition of the event and we are expecting to witness lucrative transactions that will benefit not only industries but the economies of participating countries as well."

Beyond the highly anticipated exhibition, IPS Moscow 2008 also offered visitors an impressive lineup of seminars. The show hosted discussions on 'USA and the International Real Estate Crisis,' 'Global Dynamics in the Real Estate Market,' and 'Tailored Legal Assistance in the Real Estate Business in Russia.' The latest environmental and energy issues were also addressed via sessions on 'Energy Efficient Office Building, Research and the Future' and 'Ecology, City Building and Future Lifestyle - An Integrated Approach.'

The International Property Show Moscow is expected to become one of the most sought-after events of its kind in Russia due to several factors that distinguish the show from other exhibitions in the country. Such factors include, the greater international appeal of the show with offices in Dubai, Moscow and Italy; the strategic location of the event in the biggest and most modern exhibition centre in Russia; the event concept, being both a B2B and B2C event; and its multi-disciplinary nature, appealing to the business sector, general public and even university students.

Organized to highlight Russia's booming real estate market and to provide international developers a truly global platform to showcase their own projects in their respective countries, the 'International Property Show Moscow 2008' is the Russian edition of the biggest transactional property show held annually in Dubai.

In recent years, both Russia and the UAE have seen significant growth in the real estate front, with Russian investments into commercial real estate projected to exceed Dhs18.37bn, half of which is expected to come from foreign investors. Meanwhile, more than 800 Russian investors have bought commercial and residential properties in Dubai, with an estimated combined value of over Dhs700m in the last few years.