Snow sent from America via Australia to the Middle East heralded the start of The Hotel Show which was opened in Dubai today by H.H.Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Emirates Airline and President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority.
After officially inaugurating the Middle East’s largest hotel supplies exhibition at Airport Expo Dubai, Sheikh Ahmed set off on a tour of the exhibition hall where a record 180 exhibitors – a 50% increase over last year – have assembled from around the world.
While outside temperatures climbed above 40C, it was a different story inside where
Australian “snowman”, Dean Sunshine, coolly revealed plans to make his mark on the lucrative Middle East hospitality industry, which is expected to send as many as 5,000 visitors to the three-day exhibition.
His Melbourne-based company, Fabricadabra, are agents in Australia and New Zealand for the US-invented Snow Master machines which produce spectacular artificial snow displays and are being given their Middle East debut at The Hotel Show.
“There’s huge potential for these machines in the Middle East, for hotel functions, weddings, fashion shows and product launches,” said Sunshine. “The product really sells itself, because the snow is gone in 90 seconds. Before, they used to use polystyrene balls, paper, and real snow, but that’s messy whereas there’s no residue, and no clean-up with this product, which is non-toxic.”
Sheikh Ahmed was accompanied by Khalid Bin Sulayem, Director General of the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Bernard Walsh, Managing Director of dmg Index Exhibitions Ltd, owners of the exhibition, and Joanne Evans and Laith Kubba, directors of Streamline Marketing, organisers of The Hotel Show.
The event, in its third year, is held under the patronage of H.H.General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, UAE Minister of Defence, and chairman of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. Running alongside the show for the first time is The Office Exhibition, giving office suppliers a valuable introduction to the rapidly expanding Middle East office development sector.
Joanne Evans said: “While there has been a downturn in tourism in the Middle East, as in many other parts of the world, which has affected exhibitor and attendance figures at other travel industry events worldwide, there is still a great deal of hotel development where major tourism growth is expected over the next two decades.
“By coming here in greater force this year, hotel suppliers are recognising the importance of the Middle East hotel industry, and the growing status of The Hotel Show as an event which can provide a valuable stepping stone into the Middle East market.” |
