First Middle East Aviation Industry Pavilion sells out for Farnborough

Fairs and Exhibitions (F&E), the name behind the celebrated Dubai air show, has announced that the first Middle East aviation industry pavilion to be launched at an international event has sold out.

The initiative, launched to promote the region’s aerospace and aviation industry to the global market, is to debut at the Farnborough International air show in the UK this July.

Participants in the trail-blazing, island-style pavilion include: Royal Jet, the Abu Dhabi-based premium private jet charter service; the Department of Civil Aviation, Government of Dubai; Saudi Arabia’s Dhahran-based Arabian Fuels Technology, Middle East Aviation Journal and F&E, which will use the event to promote Dubai 2005 – the ninth international aerospace exhibition.

“The original 50 square metres allocated at Farnborough for this pavilion is now full and we are now in discussions with the show organisers, the Society of British Aerospace Companies to see if the pavilion can be enlarged to cope with demand,” explained Alison Weller, Project Manager, Aerospace Group, F&E. “We will also now concentrate heavily on organising delegation visits to the pavilion.

“The success of this initiative highlights a willingness for Middle East companies to look beyond their own region and based on demand, we are now also entering into discussions with the organisers of the Le Bourget air show in Paris to launch a similar pavilion at that event in June next year.”

F&E says the regional pavilion initiative followed research which showed that Middle East companies were conspicuous by their absence at all international shows apart from the Dubai air show and IDEX in Abu Dhabi.

“This initiative is a cost-effective option for the growing indigenous aviation industry within the Middle East to have an international voice and build the region’s profile within this important segment,” explained Weller. “It also makes it easier for individual regional companies to take part in international industry events.”

With the organisational expertise of F&E behind them, pavilion participants simply arrive at the show, unpack their brochures and start selling.

The Middle East aviation pavilion is a not-for-profit venture with revenue being received by F&E covering the cost of hiring exhibition space and the construction and maintenance of the structure.

“F&E can also handle all the participants requirements, including stand-fitting, stand cleaning, lounge facilities, refreshments, office facilities and shipping,” explained Weller.

Given the success of the Farnborough pavilion and depending upon response to a similar initiative for Le Bourget, F&E says a dedicated Middle East industry arena could also be organised at other major shows in China, Africa and Australia.

“We could also mount highly specialised pavilions at market-related events such as the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, the National Business Aircraft Association meeting in the USA and the Air Traffic Control exhibition in The Netherlands,” said Weller.