Sharjah’s exhibitions and conference sector highlighted at global summit

The Expo Centre Sharjah has made a noteworthy appearance at the 2023 Global CEO Summit, hosted by the prestigious Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI).

The summit, held in Lisbon, Portugal, from 1st to 3rd February, brought together more than 100 influential CEOs, executives, and directors from the exhibitions and conferences industry globally.

Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO of Expo Centre Sharjah, chairman of the Arab Union for Exhibitions, and board member of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, represented the centre at the event.

The Centre’s participation was nothing but a testament to its steadfast commitment to promoting international collaboration and shaping the future of the exhibitions and conference sector. By attending the summit, the centre sought to improve its competitiveness in a rapidly changing global economy, promote sustainable development, and create opportunities for partnership and collaboration between businesses.

During the event, Al Midfa engaged in discussions with several CEO participants on the current state and future prospects of the exhibitions and conferences sector. The talks covered different topics, including ways to develop sustainable practices and the need to foster cooperation and integration between exhibition centres globally, as well as the prospects of building strategic partnerships and organising joint exhibitions.

He emphasised that the Expo Centre Sharjah’s participation in the Summit aimed to fuel the global efforts being made to advance the exhibition and conferences industry, adding that the centre looks forward to improving coordination and collaboration with all stakeholders to ensure that the sector can play a vital role in promoting sustainable economic growth.

“With companies around the world spending approximately $32 billion annually on participating in conferences, the exhibitions and conferences industry has become a significant contributor to economic growth and a key source of national income. The Expo Centre Sharjah’s participation in the summit underscores its commitment to contributing to the industry’s success,” Al Midfa noted.

While at the 2023 Global CEO Summit, Al Midfa highlighted the upcoming development plans for the Expo Centre Sharjah, as well as its event and exhibition schedule for the current year. The centre is set to host 49 economic, commercial, and cultural exhibitions, showcasing its commitment to a diverse range of industries and sectors.

The Global CEO Summit 2023, which concluded on Friday, 3rd February, brought together top economists and specialists in the exhibitions and conferences industry who presented working papers, addressing the need to boost mergers and partnerships among global exhibition organisers.

Last month, The Expo Centre Sharjah (ECS) has announced its event calendar for 2023, which includes 49 economic, commercial, and cultural exhibitions, an increase of 23 per cent from the 40 events held in 2022. The calendar also features events to be hosted by its affiliate centres in Khorfakkan and Al Dhaid.

The Expo Centre Sharjah emphasised that the 2023 calendar has never been more special and distinctive, as it includes eight exhibitions and conferences to be organised in Sharjah for the first time.

The new exhibitions include the 1st UAE Schools & Nursery Show, the Edilsocial Expo, the International Conference on Language, the Big Shopper Sale, the Arab Rubber Expo, the Roto-Moulding Trade Expo, and PU Tech, all of which will be held at the ECS. The Mango Festival, however, will be hosted by Expo Khorfakkan.

Abdullah Sultan Al Owais stated that the ECS’s 2023 events calendar has been carefully planned to reflect the improved investment climate in Sharjah and enhance the emirate’s business environment.

Al Owais added that the calendar aligns with the vision of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and is in line with the emirate’s economic development goals, promoting sustainability and stimulating the economy as part of the developments in the UAE’s national economy.

For his part, Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO of the Expo Centre Sharjah, said that the introduction of new exhibitions to the 2023 calendar is a result of the ECS’s exceptional development in logistics services, made possible by the support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the strategic visions.

Al Midfa stressed that the centre now boasts exceptional capabilities, modern, world-class facilities, advanced technologies, and high-quality services for event organisers from different countries. “With flexible indoor and outdoor exhibition spaces and a total area of 453,000 square feet across six spacious halls, plus a 64,600 square-foot car park and six large gates for loading and unloading services, the ECS attracts over 2.5 million visitors annually,” he said.