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A record 8,700 square metres of exhibition area will cater to the growing demand from exhibitors and participants as the Bahrain International Property Exhibition (Bipex) 2008 commences tomorrow at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre (BIEC).
Organised by the Bahrain Society of Engineers under the patronage of Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister's Court Minister, the event will remain open for three days until Saturday.
Jameel Khalaf Al Alawi, Bahrain Society of Engineers director of conferences, said: "Bipex was conceptualised as a response to the growing need felt among property buyers, developers, financiers and real estate agents for a forum in which they could get information relevant to their requirements.
"We are optimistic that this forum will continue to bring together investors, both regional and international, as well as real estate developers under one roof. It is proving to be the ideal conduit for focusing the spotlight on the various developments in the kingdom and showcasing the full spectrum of services required to simplify procedures for investing in real estate."
The exhibition, which is in its fifth year, will have participants from the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan in addition to Bahrain. The response from the international markets has also been very strong, with exhibitors from the UK, Portugal, India and the Philippines participating.
For the first time in Bipex's five-year history, the exhibition area has been increased from last year's 6,000 sqm to 8,700 sqm to cater to the growing demand.
A key highlight of this year's event is the interactive Technical Property Seminar, a novel initiative that will provide technical details on finance, taxation and legal norms to potential investors. The seminar, to be held on Saturday at Al Fanar Hall, has two sessions.
The first at 5pm will cover topics such as 'Sustainable designs from an architect's perspective', 'Challenges in executing the Bahrain City Centre development' and 'Dilmunia - A project for a balanced life'. The second session, to be held at 6.45pm, will focus on 'Real estate outlook in Bahrain' and 'The rise in building materials costs and its impact on real estate'.
Key sponsors for Bipex 2008, which is supported by the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, include Riffa Views as the premium sponsor, Ithmaar Development Company, Abu Dhabi Investment House, Al Argan Bahrain, Al Khaleej Development Company (Tameer), Marina West, Top Real Estate, Bahrain District Cooling Company (Tabreed), Century Homes, Landmark Bahrain, Tashyeed Properties, Encyclomedia, Smart Six Company, Rawa Films and CAD World as platinum sponsors and Iris WLL, Orchid Developers and Al Safar Group Holding WLL as gold sponsors.
Admission is free for all and the exhibition will remain open from 10am to 9pm on all three days.
