Dubai, 10 March 2019: Huge investments in airport infrastructure expansion in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) continues to be a major pull for companies from across the world to further consolidate their business through participation in Dubais widely-popular Airport trade exhibition.

The worlds largest annual airport exhibition is all set to be power-packed when it returns for its 19th year in Dubai this April with a record 375 exhibitors expected from 60 countries. Of these, the total number of international companies will be 150+, of which 50+ are new international exhibitors. More than 60 top industry bellwethers are also participating at the event including Ulma Handling Systems, ADB Safegate, Honeywell, Nokia, Smiths Detection, IDEMIA, DFS Aviation Services, Vanderlande and TLD.

Up to 75 per cent of last years exhibitors are returning to this years show which is held under the patronage of His Highness 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. The Airport Show, is organised by the Reed Exhibitions Middle East and will take place at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) from 29 April - 1 May.

The dedicated B2B event will have more than 7,500 attendees and will feature two co-located events: Air Traffic Control (ATC) Forum and Airport Security Middle East, as well as a newly-revamped Global Airport Leaders Forum (GALF), Women in Aviation (WIA) General Assembly and a new addition, CAPAs Middle East & Africa Aviation Summit. This year, the events exclusive Business Matchmaking programme is expected to exceed 300 Hosted Buyers across the multiple content and networking events.

International exhibitors are keen to tap the vast growth potential of the aviation industry which is soaring new heights of expansion, with an investment of US$90 billion alone projected to go into the Middle East by 2020 - three-fourths of which will be in the Arabian Gulf region.

Together with the US$845 billion investment in existing airport projects such as new runways, terminal buildings and extensions, US$1.1 trillion in airport infrastructure projects are planned or underway. Airports in the UAE are investing up to US$50 billion in new and expanded projects over the next 15 years.

His Excellency Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and CEO of Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS), remarked: Specialised exhibitions of an industry are a great way to reach out to a target market, create brand awareness and promote products and services to a broader group. Trade fair participation is above all targeted at gaining new customers and enabling procurement decisions.