Smash hit PhotoWorld expo doubles in size for 2007

Photo-World Dubai 2007 will occupy two halls at the Trade Centre exhibition buildings, and will also link to the world's biggest digital imaging expo held every year in Europe.

The 2006 show finished its three-day run on Thursday, with exhibitors reporting a roaring trade with more than 3,800 visitors from around the region and beyond.

Jacky's Gulf, agents for a range of large format printers, closed sales worth about AED 500,000 with many more under negotiation.

K. J. Singh, product manager at the digital imaging division of Jacky's Gulf, says that interest centred on the HP9000 printer that can produce four-colour images up to 1.6 metres wide and more than 10 metres long, and Fujimoto's digital imaging printer, aimed at the professional photographic market and capable of producing prints up to 60x120 centimetres while maintaining extremely high resolution.

Dubai-based Almoe FZE showed a range of large-format printers and a new concept in photo-finishing, and general manager Niaz Hussain reports a hugely successful event that generated non-stop traffic from prospective customers.
"We now have weeks of work ahead of us following up the leads that were created," he said.

Almoe's coin-operated compact kiosk enables customers to print and edit their own photographs from digital memory cards on a 'while-you-wait' basis.

"This is more a showcase for us than a place to close sales," said Hussain. "It enables us to show new technology, meet new and existing customers, and the sales will follow later."

More than 70 companies from 15 countries took part in Photo-World Dubai 2006 and show organisers Channels Exhibitions say that all have signed up for 2007, plus many more, so that next year's event will grow tremendously.

Managing director Justin Boutros commented:

"We had many observers from different countries who were so impressed by the show that they have now committed to being exhibitors next year."

"We are also concluding negotiations to have a formal link with the world's biggest digital imaging expo which will also be a major boost for the next year's event that will take place on March 12-14."