The UAE footwear market is expected to hit $300 million by 2010, according to recent industry estimates, thanks to the domestic retail sector's continuous growth as a result of the booming population and cash flow.

In line with this, Orange Fairs & Events, organisers of ‘Foot Wear Expo 2008’, is set to host leading players from the $1 billion GCC footwear market. The expo will be held in Dubai from November 3 to 5.

The inaugural edition of the event has been launched with aims to provide global companies an ideal platform where they can collaborate, expand their networks and leverage the rapid growth of the market.

The organiser also revealed that over 100 manufacturers from countries such as USA, Australia, Brazil, Turkey, Italy, Indonesia, South Africa, Thailand, India, Greece, Pakistan, Spain, Bangladesh, Egypt, China, Vietnam and UAE have confirmed their participation at the expo.

The organisers have assigned a total of 1,500 sq m of exhibition space to accommodate the 3,000 visitors who are expected to attend.

The global footwear market is expected to exceed $190 billion by 2010, said an official.

The organiser is expecting ’Footwear Expo 2008’ to usher in new fashion trends to the region, with the large number of globally-renowned brands who are coming to participate.

'With GCC economies attracting people with high liquidity of cash, the footwear industry in the region has seen a tremendous boost, and this is an opportunity, which companies participating at the ‘Foot Wear Expo 2008’ are aiming to maximise,' said Nafees Ahmed, project manager, Orange Fairs & Events.

'Amidst the booming economic growth and thriving population, international manufacturers are anticipating massive levels of consumer demand and consumption across all sectors in the Pan-Arab region, and they have identified the event as an appropriate launch pad for their high quality products.”

Research has revealed that the entire footwear market in the GCC is worth more than Dh1 billion a year, with leather footwear accounting for about 30 per cent of the market share and the rest belonging to textile, plastic and rubber footwear, he added.

There is also a thriving re-export trade in footwear and official re-exports alone account for almost one third of the imports, in addition to retail ‘carry’ re-exports by tourists, which has given birth to large exclusive footwear showrooms.

Addressing the sizeable demand for footwear products unique to the region, such as Gulf Arab sandals for men and women, as well as international brands with new and trendy designs is the focus of this year’s ‘Foot Wear Expo 2008’, he concluded.-TradeArabia News Service