The latest marketing at-retail, shop fitting, store design and retail operational solutions will be presented to retailers at an upcoming first-of-its-kind retail industry focused event in Dubai.

ArabiaShop will take place from May 8 to 10 at Dubai World Trade Centre.

Reed Exhibitions Middle East, a leading organiser of trade events, is partnering with Popai Arabia, the first non-profit organisation dedicated to the promotion of the marketing-at-retail industry in the region, for the event.

ArabiaShop will focus on the promotion of new products and services, the sharing of industry best practice and the exchange of knowledge and ideas, a statement said.

The trade show will comprise several complementary elements such as an exhibition of the latest innovative products and solutions for marketing at-retail, shop fitting and store operations and hosted buyer and VIP programmes.

It will also feature a networking reception, keynote addresses from industry leaders, seminars, and marketing achievement awards.

Representatives from some of the region’s most influential and powerful purchasers will be in attendance at ArabiaShop, coming from India, Lebanon and the GCC.

Products and services on show will range from innovative displays and décor concepts to state-of-the-art retail automation technology.

Professionals will also be given the opportunity to interact and develop new business, share ideas and insights on improving the likes of sales promotion, visual merchandising, customer relationship management and retail supply chains, the statement said.

The retail market to be serviced by ArabiaShop (GCC + North Africa and India), is estimated to be worth $1.25 trillion by 2015.

The Mena region has recently experienced huge growth in both gross domestic product (GDP) and gross lease area (GLA), highlighting the need for ArabiaShop.

The International Monetary Fund forecasts that real GDP growth is set to grow to 4.3 per cent by 2013, while retail sales growth is expected to increase by 5.17 per cent by the end of 2011, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.

“We expect ArabiaShop to be hugely successful; it will bring never-before-seen opportunities to big and small players within the region’s retail industry,” said Frederic Theux, president of Reed Exhibitions Middle East. “Retail expansion is booming in this region, and this highlights the need to put people together like this.”

Katia Shirikian, managing director of Popai Arabia, said: “As the marketing at-retail sector’s largest and most vibrant global community, we are proud to partner with Reed Exhibitions for ArabiaShop, which promises to be a great success and become a must attend Shopper Marketing event in the region.” – TradeArabia News Service