Final preparations are being made for the Big 5 show, which will be held in Dubai from November 16 to 20 and in which some 1,900 companies from 50 countries will showcase their latest products, technologies and services to an audience of around 40,000 visitors.
A newly built Marquee behind Hall 1 and the Al Multaqua hall have been added to the eight halls, the Shaikh Rashid Hall and a pavilion that last year’s event covered.
The Big 5 will showcase the best and latest that the world has to offer to the region’s burgeoning building sector and architects, designers and contractors.
The show was completely sold out six months prior to its opening date. There will be 28 national pavilions: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, China, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the UK.
“The Big 5 is, without doubt, the largest trade show for the construction industry in the Arabian Gulf,” said Bernard Walsh, managing director of dmg world media Dubai, the organiser of the event.
“Over the years it has grown into a truly unique event, combining seven major exhibitions under one roof, and bringing the best global industry practices to the region. Last year, we hosted 2,000 companies from 50 countries and attracted 34,000 key buyers and decision-makers from the public and private sectors in addition to architects, engineers, contractors and other specifiers.”
The number of visitors increased by 24.3 per cent to 33,689 (up from 27,097 in 2003). Some 42 per cent of the registered visitors came from Dubai, 23 per cent from Abu Dhabi and the other Emirates and 14 per cent from Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states. Visitors from other countries (20 per cent) included significant numbers from Egypt, India, Iran and Europe.
Showcasing building and construction, water technology and environment, air-conditioning and refrigeration, cleaning and maintenance, glass and metal, bathrooms ceramics and kitchens, marble and machinery, the Big 5 has the reputation of being the event where major business deals are concluded, generating business from the UAE, GCC and beyond.
