More than 190 exhibitors from 26 countries are taking part in gulfBID 2009 - a major construction and interiors exhibition - which opened yesterday at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.
The show, which runs until tomorrow and is billed as the most comprehensive and effective sourcing opportunity for the construction and interiors industry in the Northern Gulf, is being held under the patronage of Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and organised by Bahrain's Al Hilal Group and dmg world media Dubai.
"We are delighted that exhibitors from across the world, from Singapore to Spain and from China to Canada, have turned up for this major exhibition," said Jubran Abdul Rahman, managing director of Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE), which is part of the Al Hilal Group.
"This shows that the building and construction industry across the world continues to see the Gulf region as a source of good business even in these tough times.
"Statistics show that there is still ample scope for business across the Gulf, where projects worth an estimated $2.1 trillion are in various stages of planning and execution.
"In a January report, Meed Projects put the value of planned capital projects across the GCC at more than $2.1trn over the next six years, of which $870 billion is earmarked purely for government projects."
The more than 190 exhibitors at this year's event are from 26 countries, with national pavilions representing Germany, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and China, amongst others.
On display are a comprehensive range of quality products and machinery for the construction and interiors industry.
A number of interior decor specialists are also promoting their products and services that are targetted at the discerning and style-conscious market of the region.
gulfBID 2009 is open from 10am to 1pm and 4pm to 9pm each day.