Sportex Middle East, the region’s leading trade show for the sports and leisure industry, will open today at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and will run until November 2.

“Sportex Middle East exhibition will provide business opportunities to buyers and suppliers of sports infrastructure, refurbishment, facilities and surfacing; venue technology and systems; sporting goods, licensing and merchandising; event management and planning services; and club management, coaching and consumer consultancy,” said Abdul Rahman Falaknaz, chairman of International Expo-Consults (IEC), the organiser of Sportex.

“It is the ‘must attend’ event for those working in the sports and leisure industry in the region. However, it’s not all work – Sportex will also provide visitors with plenty of entertainment and networking opportunities too,” he added.

Sportex will offer franchising and distributorship opportunities, showcase new technologies, products and services, and provide the launch pad for new joint ventures and business acquisitions.

Sporting disciplines represented at Sportex include fitness, golf, football, hockey, pool, cycling, tennis, basketball, rugby, cricket, squash, boxing, table tennis, badminton, billiards and bowling, among others.

Exhibitors at the event include manufacturers and suppliers, fitness centres, sports products, tracks, sports fashion, sports clubs and publications, sports medicine and consultants.

Sportex Active will feature many of the new-to-market products due to be unveiled to the region at the show. For the first time, the show will offer a dedicated area for the public to actually try out the many sports forms and equipment being showcased by exhibitors.

“Sportex Active is the result of continual communication with our exhibitors and visitors to find out what they want to see from the show,” Falaknaz added.

“Exhibitions are evolving to become more interactive and simply looking at a product in a brochure is no longer enough for trade buyers.”

“They want to see and touch the merchandise, visualise it in their facilities, and be more informed to make the best purchasing decision possible. Sportex Active enables this and is a valuable new addition to the Sportex format,” said Falaknaz.

Sportex Active will offer a platform for company launches and product demonstrations, as well as co-branding opportunities for leading suppliers and sports brands to showcase their products.

Sportex 2010 will host the first edition of the Sportex University Cup Football Tournament along with Sportex Corporate Cup Football Tournament held in association with Tirgan Sports Services with Orlando Sports.

The Sportex Powerslam Bodybuilding Championship will be held in association with the Emirates Bodybuilding Federation (EBBF), where athletes from across the GCC can win cash prizes of up to Dh6,000 up in two weight categories – below 85 kg and above 85 kg. – TradeArabia News Service