IAEM to have more members in the Middle East

"The move is in line with the unprecedented boom that the regional exhibitions industry is currently experiencing," said Mr. Fasahat Ali Khan (CEM) of the Arabian Chapter of IAEM.

"Currently, the UAE is at the forefront of the regional exhibitions industry. The sector alone generates nearly $1.5 billion of Dubai's total GDP. This figure represents the direct expenditure of trade visitors and exhibitors attending exhibitions and conferences in Dubai including expenses on hotel accommodations, restaurant services, transportation and other related services,"

he added.

While Dubai hosts an average of 85 major international exhibitions, Sharjah organises more than 20 trade, consumer, and solo country shows every year.

Besides Dubai and Sharjah, lately, the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah have also been making a mark in the country's exhibition industry.

The Arabian Chapter of IAEM is based in Sharjah, UAE. At present, it has 31 members, most of whom are from UAE, Iran, Oman, and Syria. The Association is looking at doubling that figure in the coming months. It also plans to hold special training sessions for exhibition professionals in the near future.

Membership to the Arabian Chapter of IAEM is open to organisations and individuals engaged in or related to the exhibitions industry. Both the categories are charged an annual membership fee of USD $ 440 per annum. Whereas in case of the former, member organisations can nominate as many members as it wishes to for the same membership fee, in case of the latter, the membership fee is applicable to a single member only.

Benefits of becoming a member of the Association include opportunities for professional development including through CEM Learning Program/Certification programme, and access to various Association publications and industry resources among others.

Organized in 1928 as the National Association of Exposition Managers to represent the interests of tradeshow and exposition managers, the IAEM is today the leading association for the global exhibition industry. Today IAEM represents over 3,500 individuals who conduct and support exhibitions around the world. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA.