Industry experts anticipate that the Middle East interiors and construction sector will grow to trillion dollar value

The show, which attracted 4,025 quality trade visitors, was opened by Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister and Transportation Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and featured exhibitors from 17 countries representing 131 companies - this included substantial national pavilions from major international markets such as the United Kingdom, Spain and Malaysia.

'The business that both regional and international companies generated through their participation at gulfBID is a clear indication of the incredibly buoyant nature of these sectors,'

said Bernard Walsh, Managing Director of dmg world media Dubai Ltd., who organised the event in association with the Bahrain-based Al Hilal Group. 'The industry as a whole expects the current level of growth to continue, and even accelerate, over the long-term, with commercial, residential and infrastructure development projects the key driving forces.'

Exhibitor and visitor feedback rated the event, which is based on the highly successful Big 5 and Index shows staged annually in Dubai by dmg, a great success, encouraging the organisers to substantially expand the size of the event for 2007.

Regional companies found the exhibition to be a highly effective way to generate business. 'Our order books are full and these projects should keep us busy for the next four to five years. In addition there are several new projects we are looking out for. Currently, the Bahraini market is allowing us the chance to grow and we expect the construction boom to continue for the next 10 years. We are happy with the response to gulfBID, and there are many visitors who have already been impressed by the range of our products,' said a spokesman for the Bahrain-based ALESCO Group.

Spanish company Sport Mancha were among the many international exhibitors to be impressed with the show - 'This is the first time we are exhibiting in Bahrain, although we are regular participants at the Big 5 show in Dubai. Having achieved major success through the Big 5, we are exhibiting at gulfBID with a view to tapping a different sector of the Gulf market. Given its strategic location close to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other markets in the region, Bahrain offers good potential to penetrate the market in the northern Gulf. The Construction market in Bahrain is booming and we hope to clinch a number of deals here.'

In addition to generating business within the Middle East, regionally based companies also found that they were able to generate business in other world markets. 'As a result of our participation at gulfBID, we have been invited to submit architectural and interior design plans for a US$126 million five star beach resort hotel in South Africa - we have held two meetings with Durban based Blue Way Investors, and will soon travel to South Africa to begin executing the project,' said Ahmed Shah of Collage Consultants.

'With industry experts estimating the market to have trillion dollar potential, Bahrain is emerging as a leading exhibition and conference hub for the region in parallel to Dubai,'' added Walsh. 'Importantly, with the massive construction boom underway in the region, gulfBID will act as a key exhibition platform for Bahrain, the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia, and the markets of Qatar, Kuwait and even Iraq.'

The international groups taking part in the exhibition all reported high levels of solid interest. 'The British Group has been impressed with the quality of visitors attending the show from both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia - professional architects, designers and owners with on-going projects,' said Sue Graves of The British Contract Furnishing Association. 'The organisers have managed the show most efficiently and we look forward to participating again in 2007.'

Next year's gulfBID exhibition, which takes place from 15-17 May 2007, is, based on current bookings, already confirmed as being at least twice the size of this year's event.