Singular revolution

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Neil Hickman, group exhibitions director, IIR Exhibitions.

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The organisers of this month's PALME Middle East exhibition in Dubai are tying the future growth of the event to the region's booming live events production industry, boosting the show's Event 360 component in the process.

Massive commercial growth within the region's live event production industry has prompted IIR Exhibitions to rethink its strategy in regards to PALME's Event 360 component in 2008.

For the first time in the event's three-year history, Event 360 is being pitched as a standalone exhibition.

"Event 360 has been completely rebranded; for the last couple of years it has been part of PALME and it has slowly grown but it hasn't really had its own identity," explained Neil Hickman, group exhibitions director, IIR Exhibitions.

"The market may not have been ready for something like this in previous years. However, we strongly believe it is now. You've got a huge number of international event management companies that are setting up in the Middle East because of the booming economy; it's an automatic follow-on from that."

PALME Middle East exhibition director Alex Heuff says this year's Event 360 has also grown dramatically both in scope and in terms of its physical presence. Indeed, the exhibition will occupy all of Hall 4 - roughly 3000m² of exhibition space.

"The show is dedicated to companies dealing in event management, suppliers, rental companies, venues, stand-building companies; basically everyone who is linked to the events industry," he explains.

According to Heuff, IIR expects around 60% of visitors to the show to reside within the UAE, with the remainder traveling to Dubai from within the GCC.

Despite this prediction, Hickman believes there is still room for an increase in the number of international delegates visiting the show in the future.

"Dubai has got to the stage now where it is getting the likes of Halliburton and other regional HQs moving here," he says.

"That means that international event companies and suppliers are increasingly looking at Dubai and seeing Event 360 as [an opportunity] to promote their businesses to local clients."

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