The 12th edition of Airport Show, which features a huge portfolio of the latest innovative technology products and services, opens in Dubai on Tuesday.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group, will open the show at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Airport Show 2012 will feature 210 of the top-tier companies from 32 countries. The event will offer its attendees the ideal platform to network and the opportunity to join in on industry related seminars during the three-day run.

The biggest biennial event, taking place on 10,302 sq m, is one of the world's leading B2B events devoted exclusively to airport construction, operations, technology and services and is supported by leading international industry associations and local government authorities.

This year’s edition will also feature six country pavilions with world-renowned companies as the participants with a total of 59 companies taking part in China, Demark, Germany, France, Switzerland and UK pavilions.

The German Pavilion participation has been marked as the biggest in three years in terms of size and number of participating companies. A total of 420 sq m exhibition space is being shared by 26 German organisations.

China and Denmark pavilions will have six exhibitors each, while nine exhibitors will make up each of the France and Switzerland pavilions.

This edition will also feature the Hosted Buyers Programme, gathering as many as 43 key airport and civil aviation decision-makers from 13 countries in the Middle East and South Asia.

The Hosted Buyers attending are coming from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Turkey, Djibouti, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria and Jordan in addition to the hosting country, UAE.

For the first time the show organisers have introduced a Project Village which will gather all hosted buyers stands at a prime location at the exhibition venue.

Another highlight of the show is the free to attend seminars designed to update the knowledge and professional skills of the aviation industry. Hosted Buyers will have the opportunity to present their projects at the Project Seminar giving attendees valuable insights into the regions industry outlook.

Mohamad Bader-Eddin, show director at Reed Exhibitions Middle East, organizer of the Airport Show, said: “We are happy that we have successfully put together the great show this year given the variety of exhibitors and products on display.”

“Our seminars programme will help the industry professionals enhance their knowledge about the latest trends and developments. The Hosted Buyers programme will offer both the exhibitors and regional airports operators the needed environment to generate business.”

He added: “With billions of dollars planned to be pumped into the capacity expansion of airports in the GCC region, the Airport Show provides the global aviation industry players the opportunity to enhance their businesses by tapping into the unlimited growth potential of markets like the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.”

“The GCC region holds immense hope to the global aviation industry with its airports expansion programme and the Airport Show is the ideal platform to bring the buyers and sellers under one roof,” Bader-Eddin concluded. – TradeArabia News Service