This year's gulfBID has attracted exhibitors from more than 19 countries, including a strong showing from southern Europe, where companies are keen to tap into the $2 trillion worth of contracts across the region.

Aesthetics Design, an Italian interior design consultancy, fit out and paint company, which has an office in Bahrain is making its first appearance at the event.

Project manager Robert De Leon said his company was already working on projects in Dubai and Qatar and it had decided to get involved in gulfBID to make contacts and build business in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

"This is an excellent platform for us to meet potential customers and even this early in the show I have been very impressed with what I have seen," he said.

"We will certainly be coming back next year."

Portadeza, the Spanish wooden and veneer door manufacturer, is also a first-time visitor to the event, which runs at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre until Thursday.

"We have been to the Big 5 event in Dubai in the past but we felt that as this was a smaller show it would be easier to make good contacts," said international business manager Pedro Pena.

"We already have customers in Dubai, but gulfBID should help us to expand across the region. At present the Middle East accounts for about one per cent of our business but we are looking to expand this to 10pc."

Greece's Hellenic Foreign Trade Board is paying its second visit to the show and increased the number of companies it attracted from six to eight.

"Greece has only been building a presence in the region in the last few years, but we see this event as an opportunity to penetrate the Bahrain and Saudi market," said Viometale director Paul Kyriazis, whose company specialises on door handles and other fittings.

"We have a partner in Saudi and are looking to open an office in Bahrain to serve both here and Saudi Arabia."

The Cyprus ministry of commerce and tourism has also returned to the show after making its debut last year.

Commercial officer Antonis Antoniades said four of the companies, which attended before have returned and four more companies were there for the first time.

"There are a lot of Cypriot construction companies working in the Middle East," he said.

"Business is growing fast in the region and we are in a strong position because we are close to the Middle East and find it easy to co-operate with the Arab people without any problem."

"The feedback from our exhibitors, particularly those here for the first time, has been very encouraging."

Istanbul sees itself as a bridge between East and West and this year the city's Chamber of Comm-erce has its own stand to support the 10 Turkish companies taking part.

"We have come here to see if it would make sense for us to organise a Turkish pavilion for next year and so far it looks like a good idea," said the chamber's exhibitions and external relations specialist Basak Acar.

"Turkey has strong trade relations with the region but we are now particularly interested in getting Turkish businesses involved in the incredible construction boom in the Middle East." - TradeArabia News Service