The sixth edition of Middle East Exclusive (MEE) Exhibition, the only event in the region dedicated to luxury brands and travel retail sector, opened in Dubai on Tuesday.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman of Dubai Airports, and CEO and chairman of Emirates Airline and Group, inaugurated the three-day event.

The exhibition, which runs till March 12 at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, will bring together world-class luxury brands and exclusive designer labels.

Organised by Channels Exhibition, the show has exhibitors from UAE, Japan, India, Switzerland, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Russia, Hong Kong and other parts of the world.

A vast array of high fashion jewellery, antiques, luxury goods, travel retail items, watches, perfumes, confectionery, leather goods, writing instruments, gourmet and fine foods as well as electronics gadgets are showcased at the exhibition.

MEE 2009 also provides the perfect business platform for luxury goods and duty free industry, further reinforcing Dubai’s reputation as the regional hub for luxury trade.

The exhibition is supported by Dubai Duty Free (DDF) and the Middle East Duty Free Association (MEDFA).

The Nielsen Global Luxury Brands survey in October 2009 ranked UAE among the top three countries in the world for purchasing luxury fashion brands.

In the survey, 57 per cent of UAE consumers said they would buy luxury fashion-branded mobile phones, a number much larger than the global average.-TradeArabia News Service