Special effects light the way forward for the region's fast growing events industry

Stunning professional displays of all kinds are now an expected part of high calibre events, wherever in the world they may take place, and these can take a variety of forms, from laser shows to pyrotechnics. As the Gulf regions' event industry continues to thrive and develop, so do expectations in terms of the quality and diversity of special effects increase, with pyrotechnics no different to other newer technologies.

Firework displays light up the night skies across the Middle East region more and more often, not just for the New Year, but for the majority of special events. Currently, during the holy month of Ramadan, fireworks can often be seen and heard during the evening as the long awaited Iftar meal is enjoyed - it is, in fact, hard to imagine a major holiday or celebration without the accompaniment of some kind of fireworks display these days.

According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, firework sales in 2000 totaled $610 million, rising to $775 million in 2004. This is most likely due to the increasing use of large, public, professionally executed displays, using thousands of pounds of fireworks.

UK-based Festival Fireworks have been staging professional displays for over 48 years and have worked with a range of global companies such as Coca-Cola, BMW, the BBC, Mercedes and Volvo to name but a few. The company individually tailors each display to the client's specific needs, taking into account the particular surroundings, the time, the occasion and any particular colour themes.

In April 2006, Festival Fireworks will be bringing their expertise to Dubai where they will exhibit for the first time at Event 360. "Festival will have a small display stand with a big impact." says Mark Wynn-Pedder of Festival. "It will be the first time that we have exhibited in Dubai and we are keen to make a big impression on visitors to the show. We will have expert show designers on our stand, and they will give guidance to visitors and share their expertise - coupled with this, we will have plenty of visual effects on hand to show our products to the full."

Festival Fireworks are highly aware of the development of the Middle East region and the popularity of fireworks - they are confident of winning their share of the market and more than confident about the high quality of their products and the expertise of their award winning staff.

With the rapid growth in the tourism industry across the region, hotels and resorts are competing to get their market share of the business and realise that it is now vital for them to offer their guests something extra. Wynn-Pedden feels that fireworks are very much a part of this when it comes to offering added value to clients. Add this to the opening of a vast array of new developments, many of which demand spectacular launches involving the use of a wide variety of pyrotechnics, and there is an exciting and lucrative market for specialist suppliers.

The Middle East's capability to professionally develop, organise, fund and stage large scale events, both sporting and entertainment-based, has been clearly displayed over recent years." said Jonathan Gadalla, Project Manager - Event 360, IIR Exhibitions. "Our exhibitors, regardless of where in the world they are coming from, are consistently amazed by the opportunities available in the market here - all of the signs are that the rapid market growth of the past few years will continue its upward curve, and as this is a market that has a reputation for the early adoption of cutting-edge technology and new concepts, the opportunities are highly motivating."

179 exhibitors from 23 countries took part in PALME 2005. 91% said that their return on investment made exhibiting a real cost benefit, and 94% that the quality of visitors met or surpassed their expectations. 95% of visitors, who also found the event to be of great benefit, were happy to recommend it to their colleagues, and equally high percentages confirmed business with existing suppliers or established contact with new sources of products and services.

Technology advances in the event industry continue to run at a fast pace, therefore a key part of Event 360 is a dedicated series of seminars and master classes delivered by industry experts from many of the world leaders. "These sessions have been specifically designed to help the key people from the regional industry keep right up to date with the services, techniques and products that will shape the region's event industry for years to come." added Gadalla.

Organised by IIR Exhibitions Middle East, Event 360 is part of PALME, the Middle East's premier professional sound, light, music, audio visual and systems integration exhibition, which takes place at Dubai International Exhibition Centre from April 23-25, 2006. A solution provider for the events and event management industries, it will showcase the very latest product and service solutions available in the staging of live events from small corporate functions to huge sporting events. "Already well over 70% sold out with over six months still to go, we are confident in the knowledge that we will deliver a bigger and even better Event 360 in 2006, with participation and support from many of the major names in the industry." concluded Gadalla.