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Leading venue management company and producer of live experiences, ASM Global, has made history with the spectacular firework-laden inauguration ceremony of the 95,000 square metres Exhibition World Bahrain—the largest exhibition centre in the Middle East.

The launch of the Kingdom's contemporary Exhibition World represents a milestone in the Kingdom’s economic development and is expected to play a key role in advancing the economic competitiveness and positioning of Bahrain as a major global destination for regional and international conventions.

Exhibition World Bahrain is unique for its adaptable and flexible design, featuring 10 halls with the spectacular Grand Hall having a capacity of 4,000 seated guests and supported by 94 meeting rooms as well as 25 hospitality and retail outlets throughout the exhibition concourse. The centre’s spacious design enables it to host a number of events simultaneously, making it an attractive location for local, regional and international exhibitions, conventions, galas, weddings, concerts, sports, and live entertainment events.

Exhibition World Bahrain is owned by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), which plans to utilise ASM Global’s wider network within the MICE industry to create unique experiences built on years of expertise.

ASM Global APAC and Gulf Region Chairman and Chief Executive Harvey Lister congratulated BTEA on the inauguration of Exhibition World Bahrain, one of the Middle East’s largest exhibition and convention centres.

Lister shared “ASM Global is proud to be working in partnership with BTEA helping to ensure Bahrain will be at the forefront of attracting tourism investment, international conventions and exhibitions and world-class live events to the Gulf region. This iconic landmark venue will further position Bahrain as an international destination, helping to drive diversification of growth, benefiting the local economy and further enhancing the kingdom’s global standing.”

The venue joins ASM Global’s portfolio of more than 350 venues around the world and kicks off the company’s post-pandemic convention growth initiative.

ASM Global President and Chief Executive Ron Bension notes “This moment is the culmination of our plan developed during the pandemic leveraging our belief that this part of the world would be the quickest to not only return to normal but move quickly to dramatically increase its convention and exhibition market share.

“We’re also looking forward to leveraging the widest network in the world within the MICE industry to create unique experiences built on years of expertise.”

The opening extravaganza was attended on behalf of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain.

HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad highlighted the importance of competitiveness as a fundamental element of the kingdom’s economy, which has bolstered investments, promoted economic progress and created quality opportunities for citizens. He also noted that tourism remains a leading economic sector, adding that the sector's growth has been a key driver of the kingdom’s comprehensive development, led by His Majesty the King.

During the ceremony, Bahrain Tourism Minister H.E. Fatima Al Sairafi noted the kingdom’s longstanding history in being a destination linking the east and west for trade, which has furthered its position as a global tourist destination. She added that the inauguration of the venue reflects the kingdom’s commitment to expanding cross-sector development in line with Bahrain's sustainable development goals.

Exhibition World Bahrain General Manager Dr Debbie Kristiansen said she was extremely proud of her dedicated and committed team and their passion and determination to “give back” to the beautiful country of Bahrain, helping to create long-term legacies for the future. Dr Kristiansen highlighted the importance of mentoring and building the talent and skillset of young Bahrainis describing it as a “privilege.”

Following the grand opening, Exhibition World Bahrain immediately opened to the public with three concurrent events expected to see well over 100,000 visitors over the span of five days: Jewellery Arabia, the premier jewellery and watch show celebrating its 30th edition; Scent Arabia’s first-ever exhibition; and Cityscape, the region’s largest real estate summit and exhibition.

ASM Global’s network hosts 20,000 events and welcomes 165 million guests every year. Other flagship exhibition and convention centres in its portfolio include McCormick Place in Chicago; Moscone Center in San Francisco; ICC Sydney; Shenzhen World in China; and P&J Live in Aberdeen, U.K.

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