Sharjah Update Sharjah business & Investment News from Invest in Sharjah (Sharjah FDI Office)
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Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) this week inaugurated a 42,000 square foot (3,900 sqm.) temporary expansion for Expo Centre Sharjah to accomodate the continued growth of Sharjah’s fairs and exhibitions, in particular the highly anticipated Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), which takes place from 1-11 November.
Last year’s Sharjah International Book Fair hosted 1,681 publishing houses from 60 countries and fully booked Expo Centre Sharjah. Book sales at the 2016 event reached an estimated AED 176 million (US$ 48.2m), the highest levels ever, and the show was visited by more than 2.31 million people over its 11 days. Sharjah’s new global book publishing hub, Sharjah Publishing City, is expected to be inaugurated during this year’s exhibition.
Expo Centre has six permanent exhibition halls surrounding a central boulevard, with a combined gross exhibition area of 26,000 square metres (279,862 sq. ft.) indoors, plus a further 6,000 square metres (64,583 sq. ft.) of outdoor space. The Expo Centre’s new metal framed temporary expansion is made with the latest technology, adding space for an estimated 221 exhibition stands.
Expo Centre Sharjah was the first trade fair centre to be established in the UAE and has been hosting international fairs and exhibitions since 1977. Over the years, the Centre has become one of the region’s most popular trade exhibition venues drawing exhibitors and visitors from all around the world.
According to the Expo Centre management, attendance at events during Q1 2017 increased 7 percent with 302,474 people visiting the centre during January, February and March. Two of the Centre’s most notable successes this year have been the MidEast Watches and Jewellery Show which attracted over 61,000 visitors and Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, organised by the Sharjah Book Authority, which attracted a total of 157,000 visitors.
A new Novotel Sharjah Expo is currently under construction adjacent to the centre, which will offer 200 hotel rooms including standard rooms, club floor rooms and executive suites, plus world-class amenities and business services.
Source: SCCI, Expo Centre Sharjah
