Expo Center Sharjah has recently announced a 7% increase in the number of unique visitors to the various exhibitions and events organized by the Centre during the first quarter of 2017, year on year, with 302,474 visitors to the various events and exhibitions coming from around the UAE and beyond.

His Excellency Saif Mohamed Al Midfa, CEO of Expo Centre Sharjah, attributed this increase to this year’s many specialized exhibitions, as the Centre organized 12 major specialized exhibitions in addition to a number of small and medium size events. Thousands of visitors, from different ages and nationalities, frequented them.

Expo Centre Sharjah, Al Midfa said, has become a unique venue for regional and international companies to promote their products and services in the Middle East. The Expo has become the destination due to its advanced capabilities, large showrooms, state-of-the-art facilities; and specialized management, marketing, and promotion departments. This year’s higher numbers of visitors and companies prove that the exhibition industry in the Emirate is growing continuously. This industry supports the local economy of the Emirate of Sharjah and contributes to the overall productivity and economic growth of the UAE.

Al Midfa reviewed the most important and popular exhibitions of the first quarter of 2017, such as the MidEast Watches & Jewellery Showm which attracted over 61,000 locals, tourists, and visitors from GCC countries and beyond, resulting in high figures in sales and excellent exposure to participating brands. 

A similar success story comes from the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, organized by the Sharjah Book Authority, which attracted over 123 exhibitors and offered more than 2,100 events. In total, 157,000 visitors from around the world stopped by the unique event.

Al Midfa also discussed other specialized exhibitions and events that attracted large numbers of visitors, including the National Career Exhibition, International Education Show, SteelFab, Sharjah Spring Promotions, Middle East Investment Real Estate Exhibition, and Indian Investments Exhibition. The National Career Exhibition had a large turnout of youth from across the UAE, reflecting the younger generation’s aspirations to contribute to building the nation. The Exhibition is part of the national Emiritizations efforts. On the other hand, the International Education Exhibition specializes in higher education, graduate studies, and training. It offers UAE students a variety of options.  The Metal &Steel Exhibition is the largest of its kind in the region, in terms of metal products and metal and steel manufacturing. Sharjah Spring Promotions is the largest fashion bazaar of its kind in the UAE.

For the remainder of 2017, the Expo will organize a wide range of exhibitions, including Halal Middle East, Ramadan and Eid, Green Middle East, Education and Leisure, Chinese Products, Sports and Adventure, and Sharjah International Book Fair, among other exhibitions. The volume of these exhibitions points to the Expo’s pioneering economic, cultural, and social role, which makes the Emirate of Sharjah stand out and contributes to the economic growth of the UAE.