DWTC visitor footfall shows 40 per cent increase

Dubai: Dubai World Trade Centre said on Tuesday that during the first half of this year more than 500,000 visitors attended various events at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) - an increase of 40 per cent over the same period last year.

With the number of exhibitions and meetings at the venue surging significantly, the figures demonstrate the strong progress that the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) is making towards positioning Dubai as the world's leading destination for exhibitions, conferences and events.

DWTC recorded 551,056 visitors to DICEC between January and June, compared to 393,665 in the first six months of 2007.

Entering into the busy autumn period - which includes shows such as Cityscape Exhibition & Conference, Gitex Technology Week, Index, and Big 5 - DWTC executives are confident that they are on track to beat the record set in 2007.

"Dubai continues to influence as a premier global destination for meetings, exhibitions and events. The ongoing strong growth of DWTC-hosted events - which target some of the most strategically-important industry sectors such as aviation, banking and finance, and biotech - demonstrates both the current expansion of the region's economy as well as the excellent platform offered by DWTC venues and services," said Helal Saeed Al Merri, director general, DWTC.

Among the exhibitions that debuted this season included Aircraft Interiors Middle East, an event that targets the aviation sector in the region, with organisers expecting the next edition to more than double in size.

DICEC hosted 20,316 exhibitors during the first six months of 2008, an increase of 14 per cent over last year.