The fourth quarter of this year will be a busy one for Expo Centre Sharjah with a number of international events lined up, which includes economic and cultural exhibitions and conferences, said a report.

The agenda of events will begin with the MidEast Watch and Jewellery show in October and end on December 14 with the China Trade Week, a report in WAM said.

The centre’s list of upcoming exhibitions for the year includes five global economic exhibitions; the MidEast Watch and Jewellery show, the International Autumn Trade Fair, the International Concrete Conference and Exhibition in the Middle East, the Consumer Electronics Fashion exhibition, and China Trade Week. The centre’s agenda of events for the year will also include two cultural exhibitions: the Sharjah International Book Fair and the International Photography Festival Xposure.

Saif Mohammed Al-Midfa, CEO of Expo Centre Sharjah, said: "The centre is keen to update and diversify its agenda of activities, and establish strategic partnerships with various international organisations that are leaders in the field of organising exhibitions. The centre is also working to develop its performance and services to enhance and solidify its leading status in the global exhibition and conference industry, which comes as part of the framework of its new strategic plan for 2018-2022."

The exhibition and conference sector in Sharjah plays an important role in the economy of the Emirate, and there are plans to increase investment in this sector in order to solidify Sharjah’s status as an international exhibition centre. The volume of investment in the UAE’s exhibition and conference sector is estimated at Dh36.7 billion ($9.9 billion), according to reports from the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry in the UAE. Over the past few years, the UAE has made significant strides in the exhibition industry and has become a leading regional and global destination in the exhibition and conference sector, the report said.