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The event will be attended by visionaries who will address the industry challenges and discuss their solution
Dubai, UAE: Eminent speakers across the Middle East’s entertainment and retail industry will converge at the 5th edition of Theme Parks & Entertainment Development Forum to highlight the UAE’s tremendous growth in the sectors and discuss the way forward. The two-day event will kick off on 16th April and continue till 17th April at The Meydan Hotel, Dubai, and will focus on the upcoming projects in the multi-billion dollar theme parks and entertainment industry.
The UAE theme park visitor spending is set to grow six-fold from $105 million in 2016 to $637 million by 2020 as the country opens several new parks as it chases ambitious tourism targets, according to a new report. Likewise, PWC forecasts that the leisure and entertainment industry in the UAE will reach 45 million visitors by 2021. Estimates made by International Expo Consults, suggest the Dubai theme parks industry could generate $5 billion annual revenue by 2020.
Speaking about the importance of development of the Theme Park and Entertainment Industry in Saudi Arabia, Dr. Khaled Bin Abdullah Altareri, Directorate General of Foreign Trade said: “The plan to bolster and develop the entertainment industry and theme parks comes amid wide-ranging economic reforms designed to lessen the country’s reliance on oil revenues and to promote economic diversification in Saudi Arabia, and to attract local tourists and keep their high spending on such activities outside KSA.”
The Theme Parks & Entertainment Development Forum will be attended by leading theme park developers and industry buyers from UAE, Saudi Arabia and rest of GCC. Impressive line-up will include speakers from organizations such as Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Farah Experiences, Miral, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce & Investment, Al Othaim Leisure, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Global Village, Expo 2020, IMG Worlds of Adventure, La Perle, Dragone, Bounce Middle East, Legoland, DXB Entertainments, Power League Gaming and many more.
Mr. Amer Bin Ahmed, Managing Director, Knauf Middle East and India said, “We are a family owned company and our products and solutions are designed to ensure a safe, sustainable and durable environment. Our solutions are very important to cater to the industry and the event is a perfect platform for us to talk about our solutions and interact with industry leaders.”
Chris Ward, President, DepthQ by Lightspeed Design, Inc. - “DepthQ by Lightspeed Design, Inc. is very pleased to again participate in the Theme Parks & Entertainment Development Forum, our past participation strengthened our brand and created great opportunities for us. We look forward to presenting our innovative virtual reality work at this year’s show”.
The event will be co-located with the 2nd edition of Malls Middle East slotted between 16th and 18thApril which will discuss challenges the industry faces in increasing footfall, enhancing customer experiences and the role of technology in improving the customer experience, among others. It will also include Interactive Group Discussions that will allow participants to discuss the various challenges. Both the events are being organized by IQPC Middle East.
The Malls sector is large in the Middle East region and one that tourists identify with as part of the Middle Eastern experience, especially when it comes to UAE. According to a research by Euromonitor International, the retail industry in the UAE is currently worth $55 billion and is forecast to steadily rise to $63.8 billion by 2023. Malls alone contributed 11% of the GDP of UAE, amounting to $11.55 billion. They are not just places to shop and spend a few leisure hours with the family; they have become drivers of the economy.
An Alpen Capital retail report states that the size of the GCC retail sector is expected to grow by 25 percent, from $250.5 billion (AED919.33bn) in 2016 to $313.2bn (AED1.15 trillion) by 2021, driven by economic and population growth, and increase in tourist arrivals. With billions being invested in up-coming malls projects, the region is driving the latest technologies and experiences for customers to enjoy with the all-under-one-roof concept.
Steve Dumas, SVP, Design, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield said: “The Malls Middle East Summit is an exciting platform to share ideas on where the global commercial real estate and retail development sector is heading as well as learn new insights into how Millennials and new breakthroughs in technology will enable further evolution of the industry. This summit is also a great opportunity to network with other global industry change-makers and understand the regional retail developers who are setting new benchmarks in the Middle East.’
The event will have in attendance industry visionaries such as Mohammed Alawi, CEO, Red Sea Real Estate Development Solutions, KSA; Shane Eldstrom, CEO, Al Farwaniya Property Developments, UAE;and Sam Hosn, Director, Asset Management, Al Futtaim Malls, UAE, among others.
Leading companies including Knauf, Vivaticket, Eaton, DepthQ by Lightspeed Design, Inc., Christie Digital, Strong MDI Screens, Ticket International, Semnox Solutions, GITech Conveying Systems, Hub Parking, Eclerx, Terraco, Avigilon and Wavesurfer will also showcase their solutions at the events.
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About Theme Parks and Entertainment Development Forum Middle East
The Theme Parks and Entertainment Development Forum Middle East will feature leading theme park developers and industry buyers from UAE, Saudi Arabia and rest of GCC alongside an exhibition of world-class solution providers who will be showcasing their solutions on the exhibition floor.
About Malls Middle East
The Malls Middle East mall projects today in the GCC are worth close to $7.8 billion and this number is all set to rise. With such intense competition it is imperative that mall owners develop the right mall designs, engagement spaces and develop the right mix of retail, entertainment and F&B options to drive quality footfalls. The event will bring together mall owners, developers, design consultants, architects and contractors who will discuss major mall projects in the Middle East.
About IQPC
At its core IQPC is a global business to business event company that has embraced the digital age. We are the go to source for online and offline events, information, education, networking, and promotion for executives across an extensive range of industries and professions. We create a blend of live & digital events that drives corporate innovation. Our mission – We believe in sharing global business solutions. We are building events and online communities with the world’s leading business experts that inspire corporate innovation. In fact, everything we do — from our events to our online communities is driven by this goal.
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