UAE: 4,829 visitors from 23 nations attend IPM Dubai

A total of 4,829 trade visitors from 23 nations were counted at the seventh IPM Dubai and the fifth WOP Dubai after three successful days at the fairs in the Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE. With an around twelve-percent growth in the number of visitors, the fairs were able to strengthen their leading position by the Persian Gulf.

Over 95 percent of the exhibitors were very satisfied with the course of the events. Some exhibitors were able to achieve turnovers in the six-figure range. "Particularly at the foreign fairs of Messe Essen and its partners, the decisive factor is the quality of the visitors. We are consistently intensifying our efforts in this direction," Egon Galinnis, Managing Director of Messe Essen, explains one important part of the success of the joint venture.
The new venue in the most important economic district of Dubai as well as the new staging date in November have created ideal outline conditions for exhibitors and trade visitors.

For the seventh time already, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum agreed to become the patron of IPM Dubai. Exhibitors from 17 nations participated in the most important horticultural fair in the Gulf region and showed a comprehensive range available from the fields of plants, technology, floristry, sales promotion as well as plant care and logistics. The diverse supporting programme with horticultural seminars, floristic demonstrations and workshops offered the visitors an ideal platform for the exchange of knowledge and for networking. In addition to the great interest in producers of young plants and in suppliers of horticultural technology, more attention focused on the field of floristry.

WOP (World of Perishables) was also able to consolidate its position as the trendsetting event in the field of fruit and vegetables in the Middle East. At the fair for temperature-sensitive goods, companies from 18 countries presented their products and services from the sectors of fresh goods, goods security, technical equipment, transport, trading and services.

Good Forecast for the Green Sector

The good course of the fair reflects the improved situation of the economy in the Gulf region. The sales market for floristry, plants and horticultural technology is picking up once again as from the fourth quarter of 2012. With the upturn in tourism, the business in the fruit and vegetable trade also picked up as from March. At the end of November, the government of Dubai estimated the economic growth of the emirate for 2012 at 4.1 percent.

For next year, not only the plant sector but also the suppliers for fruit and vegetables are seeing good chances in the Gulf states. Even now, justified cause for this is already being provided by large-scale projects such as the plans to build the biggest leisure park in the world, the Football World Cup in Qatar in 2022 or Masdar City in Abu Dhabi which are casting their shadows well in advance - at the right point in time for IPM and WOP 2013.

Since 2006, IPM Dubai and WOP Dubai have been jointly organised and staged by Messe Essen and planetfair, Hamburg/Dubai. In 2013, both fairs will take place on November 17 - 19.