HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum to open 9th Airport Show

The 2009 event which takes place from 19 to 21 May is expected to fare strongly, thanks largely to robust airport expansion and creation across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region.

210 exhibitors including Thales, Raytheon, Selex Sistemi Integrati, Siemens, Honeywell, Crisplant and Cavotec will join leading UAE exhibitors including Dubai Airports, Abu Dhabi Airports Company, Dubai Airport Freezone, Bond Communications, Bayanat Airports Engineering & Supplies, Pacific Controls, Excel and Emirates National Factory for Plastic Industries, among other exhibitors, over a gross exhibit space of 10,500 sq.m. at the central and west halls of the Dubai Airport Expo. National pavilions from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy, have confirmed their participation at the Airport Show.

The event has pre-registered 1,620 visitors and confirmed participation from more than 60 countries, including 43 airport officials from 19 airports, from Tunisia to China. More than Dhs500m in procurement contracts will be on offer at the event.

"We have every reason to expect a very strong turnout for the 9th Airport Show, and are confident that the show will convey the message that Dubai and the broader MENA region continues to lead in business,"

said Frederic Theux, Reed Exhibitions.

Reed has implemented a series of programmes to streamline the procurement process for exhibitors and visitors, including a 'Hosted Buyer' programme that brings senior management officials from airports in the region.

Priority projects for airport managers include construction of terminals, cargo and aircraft hangars, taxiways, electric substations, air traffic control towers, and services from baggage handling to X-ray, information and security systems, besides, operation of aircraft dismantling facilities.

Project owners from the UAE's Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah airports, Pakistan's Sialkot Airport, Iran's Qeshm International Airport, India's Durgapur, Ludhiana and Maharashtra airports, as well as airport authorities from Tunisia, Djibouti, Algeria, Bahrain, China, Kuwait and Bangladesh, will participate in the show.

Also, officials in charge of the Dhs14.68bn ($4bn) enhancement of the King Abdul Aziz Airport, and the redevelopment at the Hurghada (Dhs3bn) and Cairo Airport (Dhs2.3bn) airports in Egypt will be present. In total, the Airport Show has confirmed the attendance of project owners representing nearly Dhs25bn ($6.8bn) in airport project development.

The 'Future Airports' conference will be held concurrently with the Airport Show, from May 19 to 20, 2009, with the implementation of major new airport developments in the Middle East, North Africa and India (MENAI), topping the agenda at the two-day forum.

Among the confirmed speakers at the 'Future Airports' conference are Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports; Rudy Vercelli, CEO, Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC); Mustafa Sani Sener, President and CEO, TAV Airport Holdings; Jean-Marie Chevallier, Chairman and CEO, Aéroports de Paris Management; and Jihad Boueri, Regional Director, Applications Services, Middle East & Turkey, SITA.

The 9th Airport Show is supported by leading aviation authorities and trade bodies including Dubai Airports, Abu Dhabi Airports Company, German Airport Technology & Equipment (GATE), Danish Airport Group, British Aviation Group (BAG), British Airport Services & Equipment Association (BASEA), and UBIFRANCE (the French Agency for International Business Development).