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to diversify the economy, increase tourism, and establish Saudi Arabia as a key player in the global MICE industry.
With its large, young, and increasingly affluent population, Saudi Arabia offers tremendous potential, especially in sectors like family and child-related products, which aligns with The Baby Expo’ s mission.
The ambition to position Riyadh and other cities within KSA as global destinations for events, creates a fantastic environment for us to expand in the GCC’ s largest market.
NAC Fairs sold on the Dubai Muscle show to IEG, and that seems to have gone from strength to strength( forgive the pun). Do you have similar ambitions to eventually sell on the Baby Expo? At the moment, we’ re focused on growing The Baby Expo and building it into the best possible event.
For the 2025 edition we are adding a world-class industry summit which will feature C-suite speakers from some of the biggest retailers and brands in the global maternity, baby and child industry.
The addition of the Mother, Baby & Child Awards & Gala Dinner this year
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also provides additional networking opportunities for top level executives in the regional and global industry.
Looking ahead, we plan to expand the Dubai show into a three-day event in 2026, which will include an additional day fully focused to industry buyers.
All of these plans will eventually be incorporated into The Baby Expo Riyadh. A key focus will be ensuring that The Baby Expo remains not just an annual event, but a vital resource and community for the industry, both in the region and beyond. We are also focused on expanding the event into new geographical areas and communities that would benefit from it, while bringing in exhibitors that align with our existing event profile. Additionally,
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Left: The Baby Show Dubai is set to grow its space 150 % for its second edition in 2025
Below: Organisers say their goal is to create a one-stop-shop for education, products and innovation
n thebabyexpo. com
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we plan to introduce new segments that address the evolving needs of brands and parents, based on the feedback gathered during the show.
Major changes for the 2026 show will also be announced soon.
Has the exhibition industry, or at least the section you are involved in, well and truly come back strongly post-Covid and what, if any, are the main challenges? The exhibition industry, particularly in our sector, has made a good recovery post-Covid. We’ ve seen an encouraging resurgence in interest and participation in trade shows, especially those catering to families and children. People are eager to connect in person again, to discover new products, and to engage with brands and experts.
One challenge the industry is facing is the digital transformation that accelerated during the pandemic. Embracing new trends and staying ahead of the curve is something we’ ll continuously be placing a focus on.
In the UAE, the stability of the market and the guidelines implemented during Covid allowed the industry to recover faster than in many other global markets. Recognising this opportunity, international companies have increasingly focused their efforts and budgets on expanding in the GCC.
With mega-projects being announced across the region, government initiatives designed to encourage migration, improve quality of life and support businesses, the current climate in the GCC provides fantastic timing for businesses to expand here.
While the exhibition sector is relatively mature in the UAE, Saudi Arabia has presented the industry with new opportunities for expanding existing event portfolios or developing new concepts to support the growing demand in the market. EW
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