Beauty show opens in Dubai

The opening ceremony of Beauty World / Wellness & Spas Middle East was performed by Mr. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman of Dubai Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation, Chairman of Nakheel and Chairman of Tejari.com. Mr Bin Sulayem was accompanied by Mr Helal Al Marri, Director General of the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Organised by Epoc Messe Frankfurt, the show features 550 exhibitors displaying thousands of new products and services including perfumes, cosmetics, skin care, nail care, body care, hair products, salon and wellness equipment, natural products, ingredients and raw materials, packaging, wellness and spa centers. Exhibitors at the event have arrived from 40 countries, including numerous national pavilions and trade associations.

One such organisation is the German Cosmetics, Toiletry, Perfumery and Detergent Association featuring 55 member companies on their stand. The UAE now rates above Saudi Arabia as Germany's main export market for the category, according to Udo Frenzel, director of the association. 'Exports to the region amount to Dh720 million, not bad for the country that invented Eau de Cologne' said Frenzel at a press conference.

Another major pavilion is presented by Turkey that features 33 exhibitors under the umbrella theme of the 'Turkish touch to beauty'. According to Muflu Oktem, Secretary General of the Turkish Cosmetics group, the UAE is their fourth most important market after Russia . 'Turkey has around 620 cosmetics companies and exports 22% of their US$1 Billion value.'

Other trade associations to have major representation at the event include the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, the Brazilian Toiletry, Perfumery and Cosmetic Association, Cosmexport Italy (Unipro); CAPA Camera Argentina de la Industria de Cosmetica y Parfumeria, the Thai Trade Centre, UBI France, Korea Cosmetic Industry Cooperative, NAFED (National Agency for Export Development and South African Cosmetic Export Council.

According to Michael El Nayal, Managing Partner of Epoc Messe Frankfurt, Beauty World's success, growing by 33% since the previous show last year, is attributable to a variety of reasons. 'The Beauty World brand is regarded by professionals as the leading event for the entire beauty industry. With other Beauty World events running in Brazil, Japan and Germany, the word has quickly spread that Dubai is the right place to be to access the fast growing markets in the Arabian Gulf.

'Growth estimates range from 12 - 20% depending upon the exact product type, but compared to the current European figure of less than 2%, you'll understand why Beauty World Middle East is doing so well,' said El Nayal.

Major independent suppliers make up the largest part of the Beauty World show, all keen to access the region's fast growing $1.8Billion market. Leading manufacturers such as Takara Belmont, Orly, Bettina Barty, Juvenage, Virty, and l'Acqua di Fiori make up a list of hundreds of companies keen to explore new business opportunities in the Middle East.

Other attractive features of the Beauty World show include the Oasis Café, a landscaped area in the heart of the exhibition that provides visitors with the opportunity to receive free beauty treatments, facials and massages, all courtesy of Beauty Leaders and the Fairmont Hotel. The organisers will also be giving away free Oasis Café lunch vouchers to the first 500 trade visitors to the exhibition.

To make this a truly memorable event the organisers and the exhibitors will be giving away a whole host of prizes during the show. Lufthansa will be raffling two free air tickets from Dubai to Frankfurt to registered visitors on the last day of the show, spa treatments, fragrances and cosmetics will also be among the range of prizes to be given away.