Gulf a beacon for global construction suppliers

Dubai: The Middle East's biggest-ever trade fair for the construction sector got underway on Sunday with few signs that the global economic slowdown has seriously impacted the regional industry.

Thousands of visitors flocked to the first day of the sell-out, five-day show that occupies all available space at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre.

Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Deputy Ruler, who spent over an hour visiting stands and talking with exhibitors, officially opened the show.

"Demand for space at this year's show has exceeded our expectations,'' said Simon Mellor, Vice President Construction of dmg world media Dubai the organisers of The Big 5.

"While construction may retract due to the global climate, the fact remains that Arabian Gulf is still one of the few regions of the world where growth is forecast to continue,'' Mellor said.

"Without doubt, this region continues to offer the greatest concentration of construction work in today's changing world,'' Walsh added. "There are still in excess of 5,200 individual projects worth more than $4 trillion underway across the Middle East. More than 980 of these are in the United Arab Emirates alone with a total value in excess of $800 billion.

"As the construction industry in many other regions contracts, supply companies from every corner of the world have descended on The Big 5 in pursuit of contracts. They are crucially aware that regional governments are committed to giving continued priority to infrastructure projects in the development of their economies.''

Exhibition space at The Big 5 – also one of the world's largest shows for the construction industry and associated suppliers – was completely sold out some months ago with more than 3,200 exhibiting companies from over 50 countries worldwide.