Exhibitions – popularly known as expos or fairs in Bahrain – have come a long way from being held in makeshift tents on Exhibition Avenue (hence the name) in the late 70s to the pungent-smelling cemented section of the Central Market to the more recent glitzy Bahrain International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) in Seef District.

 

Exhibitions have evolved from the first ever, a Solar Technology Show in 1978 at the Hilton Hotel, to the massive and often, impressive exhibitions at the expansive Exhibition Centre.

 

Stephen Key, chief executive of Arabian Exhibition Management (AEM) arrived in Bahrain in 1989 and remembers his cabin in the Central Market with water marks running down the ceiling.

 

He said: “Shaikh Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Khalifa who was the chairman then (and still is) convinced me that expos were doing well in the region and that Bahrain was building a modern facility in an upcoming area to cater to the swelling crowds.

 

“Even then, the island had a cosmopolitan mix of people and was a melting pot of vibrant cultures and because of its geographical location it was a hot bed of activity.”

 

Although exhibitions were a common phenomenon in the Middle East the scale was marginal compared to the sizeable fairs organised these days.

 

“In the early years, Bahrain was the front-runner in hosting exhibitions,” explained Mr Key. “Most events encompassed a total area of approximately 4,000 square metres whereas exhibitions in Dubai would be less than 1,000 square metres.”

 

But the 90s Gulf War changed those dynamics.

 

However, in November, 1991, AEM organised a broad spectrum international exhibition, Rebuild Kuwait, the first exhibition after the war at the newly-constructed Exhibition Centre.

 

According to Mr Key, business started picking up after the war and the region came out of a recession. AEM seized the opportunity and started promoting Bahrain as an ideal venue for a variety of fairs.

 

“Geographically, Bahrain’s proximity to the cash rich Gulf countries – especially Saudi Arabia – is a unique selling point. Couple that with the excellent business environment, quality of life and the fact that the government of Bahrain has taken every possible step (eg: customs, laws) to make the island a conducive venue for hosting such exhibitions has contributed greatly to the resurgence in expos,” added Mr Key.

 

AEM, a member of All World Exhibitions, has offices in around 40 countries worldwide. It was the only international company in Bahrain organising exhibitions but is now one of many.

 

It has created its own niche in the market and successfully organises seven shows in its annual calendar.

 

“Our biggest success is Jewellery Arabia which is now in its 16th year now. Ours was the first jewellery show in the region. At the time of its inception there was a clear demand for such an event and its growth in terms of displays, vendors and area is proof enough of its popularity.

 

“Our annual Autumn Fair which has a diverse display of competitive consumer products completed its 19th year and had a record number of 176,652 visitors over a period of 10 days in January.

 

“International exhibition activity is, of course, great publicity for Bahrain and attracts high-spending tourism that spends five or six times more than ordinary tourists.

 

“Every dinar that is spent in an exhibition has a multiplying effect and four or five times more is spent in another sector in Bahrain. Exhibitions also attract new companies to the market spurring growth and economic activity,” added Mr Key underscoring the importance of expos to Bahraini economy.

 

Over the years, AEM has introduced new ideas for exhibitions that have been hugely successful.

 

As reported in last week’s GulfWeekly the centre is set to host a huge consumer property exhibition from October 24 to 27, as Bahrain-based AEM joins forces with Dubai Shows Limited to stage a unique joint event – Property Arabia and the Worldwide Property Show 2007.

 

Gathering the expertise of two major exhibition organisers and two established exhibitions, the event will feature more than 50 participants from 30-plus countries, showcasing thousands of the biggest and most exciting real estate developments happening around the world. 

 

On show will be a wide range of residential and commercial properties and related services including apartments and penthouses, agents, architects, financial institutions, interiors, new city and town projects, resort and island properties and waterfront and luxury developments.

 

As the expos become bigger and better the ‘key’ to the future may be further expansion. Talk of another bigger exhibition centre is rife which could add a totally new dimension to the face of exhibitions in Bahrain in years to come.