Dubai-headquartered exhibition and seminar organisers International Expo-Consults (IEC) and event management company DimensionFour (India) are jointly organising what they describe as "the world's first broadbased, dedicated exhibition for free trade zones".

The event, designed to bring together free trade zone operators, investors and regulators under one roof, will be staged at Mumbai's World Trade Centre (WTC) from September 30 to October 2.

Abdul Rahman Falaknaz, chairman, IEC, said the exhibition was of particular importance to those operating or thinking of setting up free trade zones in the Middle East.

"In the past regional free zones have used individual road shows to generate investment from India. The World Free Trade Zones Expo 2002 will, for the first time, provide a unique forum in which international operators and investors can come together in the same place and at the same time to compare and evaluate the many investment opportunities available," Falaknaz said.

According to a joint statement issued by the organisers, the exhibition is targeting airport and port free zones, off shore zones, software technology parks, biotech parks, export promotion industrial zones, hardware technology parks, special economic promotion zones, info-media parks and dedicated real estate parks.

World Free Trade Zones Expo 2002 has the support of the federal Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Maharashtra state government, the India Trade Promotion Organisation, the Software Technology Parks of India and the country's 29 state industry development corporations.

International public and private sector speakers will address a series of seminars and interactive sessions held alongside the expo. Among critical issues to be probed will be world trade; incentives; government policies; investment opportunities; global trade blocks; growth areas; industrial finance; insurance and human resources.

"The exhibition will showcase free zones as fast lanes of economic development, promote the concept of specialised free zones, help attract foreign direct investment into participating free zones and provide an opportunity for investors to develop business options," said Prakash Lulla, director, DimensionFour.

The World Free Trade Zones Expo 2002 is IEC's second joint venture in India, following on from Sign & Graphic Imaging India 2002, which will take place at the WTC from September 25-27.

"By combining our extensive knowledge of organising exhibitions and seminars, in the Middle East and North Africa, with DimensionFour's local expertise we aim to meet the growing need for professionally managed industry-specific events in India," said Falaknaz.

DimensionFour, part of the LR Lulla Group of Companies organises three annual exhibitions in India, the United Arab Emirates and Kenya. It has also run exhibitions, events and seminars for India's leading companies, including Reliance Group Industries, Tata Group, Wipro and UTI.

IEC's exhibition profile includes Sign & Graphic Imaging Middle East; Theme Parks & Fun Centres; Sportex Middle East; Chemtex and Corrosion; Glass, Ceramics, Minerals and Mining, and Automotive Aftermarket Middle East and its African edition in Kenya.