The recently concluded 20th edition of Beautyworld Middle East, the region’s largest beauty and wellness trade fair in Dubai, UAE attracted a record 29,973 visitors from more than 120 countries, said event organisers.

Messe Frankfurt Middle East reported a five per cent increase in visitor numbers over the previous year for the region’s largest trade fair for beauty, hair, fragrances, and wellbeing.

The halls were buzzing with activity as influential buyers from the Gulf region, the wider Middle East and Africa, Iran, Asia and further afield from countries such as the Seychelles and Maldives experienced first-hand the latest beauty and wellness trends while discovering new and exciting opportunities for their businesses.

“It has been another fantastic week for Beautyworld Middle East, and we are delighted to sign-off the 20th anniversary edition in 2015 with a record number of trade visitors and exhibitors,” said Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East.

“The beauty of the show’s location in Dubai is that the Emirate is a major import and re-export hub, and so any company that exhibits at Beautyworld Middle East exposes itself to not only the Middle East and Africa, but also India, and Asia, and they immediately have an audience of about two billion people.

 “Exhibition space also grew by 13.5 per cent this year, and with 1,450 exhibitors from 60 countries out in force, there were plenty of opportunities for buyers to meet new suppliers, view innovations, experience new products, and compare options,” Pauwels added.

Beautyworld Middle East 2015 was held under the patronage of the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA), the UAE governing body for nation-wide standardisation policies.

ESMA announced at the three-day event its new Halal mark and certification for beauty companies looking to tap into the Muslim population that require their products to be Shariah-compliant.

Beautyworld Middle East focuses on the five core areas of Cosmetics & Skincare (625 participating exhibitors in 2015), Hair, Nails & Salon Supplies (323 exhibitors), Machinery, Packaging & Raw Materials (227 exhibitors), Fragrances (170 exhibitors), and Professional Equipment & Spa (50 exhibitors).

It also featured 24 country pavilions headed by Italy (67 exhibitors), Germany (41 exhibitors), France (102 exhibitors), USA (26 exhibitors), UK (20 exhibitors), Spain (40 exhibitors), and Turkey, (99 exhibitors), while 25 per cent of exhibitors were based in the UAE.

German fragrance manufacturer Dullberg Konzentra has been exhibiting at Beautyworld Middle East for the past ten years, and as one of the first players in the Middle East market, continues to see big opportunities.

Beautyworld Middle East 2015, which took place at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, concluded as the Middle East and Africa (MEA) overtook Latin America as the world’s fastest growing beauty market this year.

According to analysts Euromonitor International, the retail value for the MEA’s beauty and personal care market was $25.7 billion in 2014, while its estimated 4.8 per cent annual growth rate between 2014-2019 is almost twice the global average of 2.6 per cent.

Amid this backdrop, the double-digit growth of Beautyworld Middle East looks set to continue for many years ahead, as its inter-regional reach into new and emerging markets continues unabated.

“I first visited Beautyworld Middle East two years ago, and I returned this year to update my supplier-base of wellness products,” said Okey Ewurum, chairman of Mentor Health Services, which owns and operates a chain of health and wellness retail stores in Nigeria.

“I was taken aback as to the variety on offer from renowned brands across the world while there were also a lot of new products that I’ve not come across yet.  I will definitely return next year and will bring with me business colleagues that have cosmetics in their retail chain portfolios.”

Highlights of the 20th edition of Beautyworld Middle East included the dual launch of Centre Stage by Nazih Group, and an Organic and Natural Pavilion; while other features included Hair Education by ghd; Nail It! by OPI and Nazih Group; Fragrance Station; Face It! by Grimas ME; and the two-day Spa and Wellness Management Summit. – TradeArabia News Service