TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK

DOHA THE ninth edition of the annual international construction, environmental technology, and building material exhibition (Project Qatar 2012), was inaugurated at the Doha International Exhibitions Center (DIEC) on Monday.

Inaugurating the expo, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Urban Planning, HE Sheikh Abdurrahman bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al Thani said, “Qatar has made giant strides in developing its economy and bringing it at par with other developing nations.

“Our work is not done yet and we hope to bring to fruit the development vision of the Emir His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani,” Sheikh Abdurrahman said after inaugurating the exhibition.

For that vision to be realised, exhibitions and commercial expositions like Project Qatar are essential to attract the best to Qatar, he said. “We welcome this platform and wish everyone participating this year, a fruitful and productive experience,” the minister added.

About 2,083 exhibitors are participating at this year’s exhibition, which is the largest ever in Qatar. Project Qatar 2012 is 25 percent larger than last year, a substantial increase for an exhibition that was already the biggest exhibition in Qatar.

Going by the number of people who turned up for the inauguration, organisers expect visitor numbers to increase by over 10,000, when compared to last year.

Exhibitors are looking at the prospect of meeting industry leaders to discuss projects worth over $250 billion that are slated to be completed in Qatar in the run-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

“The visitors whom we have met are all ready to do business. This is an excellent indication of the construction sector’s health in Qatar. We are quite excited about being at Project Qatar because it gives us a completely unique view of the local market.

“It would take any company months to generate the number of leads we have managed to accumulate on just the first day of Project Qatar 2012,” an exhibitor from the Turkish Pavilion said.

An investor who flew in from abroad to attend the exhibition, noted that, “Project Qatar is unique in the region now because it has become more than just about Qatar. As a visitor to Project Qatar, I find I have access to sellers and buyers from Qatar, leading construction companies from across the globe, as well as lesser known competitors. Here, I can see the work that a Turkish or Iranian company can do for me for a fraction of the price.

It’s a great place to judge capabilities and forge new partnerships.”