The trio of exhibitions – Gulf Construction Expo, Gulf Property Show and Interiors Expo – held in Bahrain last month attracted 7,450 regional and international visitors and more than 150 exhibitors from 20 countries.

The integrated business-to-business showcase for the construction, interiors and property sectors was inaugurated by His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Prime Minister, who described real estate and construction sectors as the pillars of the country’s economy.

Organised by Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE), the expos were held at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre from April 23 to 25.

HCE managing director Jubran Abdulrahman said: “Amidst the challenging economic climate, the marquee exhibitions for the Northern Gulf’s booming construction and building sectors remain popular.”

Gulf Construction Expo marked the 13th anniversary of the premier show for the construction and building materials sector, which had the strategic backing of Haji Hassan and Tamkeen, in addition to having the support of Universal Rolling (Unirol) as the Steel Products sponsor and Amna Insulations leading the Green Technology sector in construction and building materials.

Leading regional and international companies showcased their innovative products and services at the shows. These included Ariston Thermo, an Italian specialist in heating systems and related products, which opened its first manufacturing plant in Bahrain last year; and Unirol, Bahrain’s high-quality reinforcement steel plant, which recently launched its newly upgraded and fully-automated production facility in the Hidd Industrial Area. 

Coming from Saudi Arabia was Al Zamil Industry, Trade and Transport Company, which showcased a new generation of manhole covers made from composite materials, in addition to horizontal tanks and filtration units.

Gulf Property Show

The Gulf Property Show, the boutique showcase for the real estate and property development sectors in the Northern Gulf region, highlighted present and future developments in Bahrain and hosted international developments in the UAE, Kuwait, Jordan, Cyprus, Germany, Turkey, Egypt and the UK. 

Bahrain Real Estate Investment Company (Edamah), the real estate arm of the country’s sovereign wealth fund (Mumtalakat), marked the opening of Gulf Property Show 2019 by signing a landmark financing deal with Kuwait Finance House (KFH) for its Sa’ada public waterfront project in Muharraq. 

Ithmaar Development Company (IDC), the main authority behind the landmark man-made Dilmunia island project, announced at the show that it had completed Phase Three infrastructural works for the $1.6-billion project. Dilmunia is a mixed-use development being built on a man-made island off the coast of Muharraq.  The development is expected to witness the opening of the Mall of Dilmunia by the year-end (see Real Estate, Page 94).

Bahrain Marina, an iconic development on the eastern coastline of the capital Manama, showcased its masterplan at the Gulf Property Show. Highlighted at its stand were the residences offered within the development, through a visualisation experience (via a large video screen).

Diyar Al Muharraq, a leading urban developer in Bahrain, showcased its various projects including its most prominent projects Al Bareh and Al Naseem, and as well as Jeewan Villas, part of the Deerat Al Oyoun project.

And GFH Properties showcased its latest luxurious landmarks, The Harbour Row  and Villamar located at the Bahrain Financial Harbour. 

Exhibitions director Ahmed Suleiman said: “The Gulf Property Show has established a strong reputation as a platform where investment is actually transacted. The attraction of international developers is a vote of confidence in the show and Bahrain as a venue for regulated real estate investment. “

Gulf Property Show 2019 carried the strategic sponsorship of Diyar Al Muharraq, Manara Developments, Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Investment and Edamah. Other sponsors included Bahrain Marina as Diamond Sponsor and Golden Gate Developers and El Mercado Village as Gold Sponsors. The Gulf Property Show also received the strategic organisational support of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority of Bahrain (RERA), Survey and Land Regulatory Bureau (SLRB), Urban Planning and Development Authority of Bahrain and Bahrain Property Developers Association (BaPDA).

Interiors Expo

Interiors Expo, a platform for the GCC’s home-grown interior brands, hosted ‘On the Wall 2’, the second edition of the dedicated event promoting more than 30 Bahrain and GCC artists to a wider audience. Dragon City, designated as an Interiors Shopper outlet, made its debut at the expo to promote awareness that the Chinese retail hub now offers a one-stop shop for home furnishing in the country. Hempel Paints and Mobilia Uno were Strategic Sponsors of Interiors Expo.