fiogf49gjkf0d
HE The Prime Minister of the State of Qatar opens Show; Exhibitors join in a chorus of accolades to commend the successful conduction of Exhibition
The inauguration of the brand new, state-of-the-art, swank and gleaming 15,000 sq. m. Doha Exhibitions Centre coincided with the opening of the 5th Edition of the vastly expanded Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition 2008 on Tuesday, 12 February. The Prime Minister & Foreign Minister of the State of Qatar, HE Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabor Al Thani, also the patron of the Exhibition, conducted the twin simultaneous inaugurations. The PM was accompanied by HE Yousuf Hussain Kamal, Minister of Finance and Acting Minister of Economy & Trade, State of Qatar & Ahmed Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Chairman, Qatar Tourism & Exhibitions Authority (QTEA) and a large number of prominent businessmen from the local, regional & international watch & jewellery industry.
The Emir of the State of Qatar HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani and the Prime Minister subsequently took time to personally visit the Exhibition on Wednesday, 13 February 2008 (Day 2) of the Exhibition. The Emir took time to visit virtually every pavilion and has exchanges with officials present.
The Exhibition covers 11,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space (about 73 % of the total exhibition area of 15,000 sq. ft.). Leading firms representing 450 international brands took up more than 25 pavilions & stands covering the expanse of the Exhibition. well known among these included Al Fardan, Ali Bin Ali, Modern Home, Blue Salon, Al Majed, Al Makki, Amiri Gems, Marzook Al Shamlan, Al Muftah, DOMASCO, Al Jaber, Al Zain, Royal Jewellery and Paris Gallery to name a few. “This year’s edition has been the largest to date and we are delighted with both exhibitor and visitor turnout reflecting the industry’s confidence in Qatar’s retail potential. There has been tremendous interest in this landmark exhibition as it emerges as a major event in the region’s watch & jewellery exhibition calendar,” said Ahmed Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Chairman, Qatar Tourism & Exhibitions Authority (QTEA), organizers of the 5th Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition.
A cross section of leading exhibitors interviewed by MPParabia at the venue praised the exhibition and its organization and was upbeat and buoyant about the business prospects. There was near unanimous agreement on the efforts and investment by QTEA, organizers of the event, the enlarged and spacious premises, the infrastructure and the potential offered by the country. Vincent Lapaire, President, Universal Geneve Watches, said: “The Doha Jewellery & Watch Exhibition 2008 is an important platform to reach the lucrative and growing Qatar premium watch & jewellery market.”
“The evolution of the Doha Exhibition from local to regional exhibition is an important progression in the history of the series,” asserted Freddy D. Tschumi, the Geneva-based Managing Director, of the US Icelink Watch Co. “The organizers have done a splendid job and the growth both in terms of area, business, number of exhibitors & visitors. Coupled with the newly completed exhibition premises & on-site facilities, this is evidence of the professionalism of the exhibition,” he added. This view was echoed by Gian Luca Minguzzi, Sales & Marketing Director, Ambrosi who affirmed that the ‘Doha Exhibition had passed the litmus test of being an important conduit for penetrating the region for the fine jewellery industry.’
The six-day long exhibition concluded on 17 February 2008.