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Bahrain boat show postponed over development work

Manama, March 15, 2014

Plans for Bahrain's biggest boat show have been put on hold due to development work at Amwaj Marina, said a report.

This year's Bahrain Boat Show International (BBSI), which is organised by Knotika Holdings, was slated to be held over four days from April 23.

However, organisers told the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication, that work on the marina, due to be completed next year, put too many restrictions on the size of the show's site.

"The next show will be in April 2015," said Knotika Holding chief executive Wael Juju.

"The simple reason that we decided to postpone this year was because of the work happening on the marina that will adversely affect the size of the show, and we didn't want to change the size of the show's footprint."

A hotel, restaurants and several new attractions that are being built as part of the marina's redevelopment will only help the show grow in the future, added Mr Juju.

"What we are doing instead this year is lobbying regional and international exhibitors from as far afield as Australia, Canada and China," he said.

"And after a year's delay we will come back with a much bigger batch of participants and a much larger trade presence."

The recent upsurge in violence across Bahrain has also played a part in the show's postponement, admitted Mr Juju, but he remained positive for next year's event.

"The boat show is a very sensitive event because it is very much related to the geopolitical situation," he said.

"We hope, like everybody hopes, that each year will bring a better atmosphere because a better atmosphere will help bring a greater number of exhibitors and trade visitors and an increased number of visitors from the region to make concrete purchases - and all of this is affected by the geopolitical situation.

"However, the good news is that, since announcing the delay, a lot of exhibitors have complained and said we shouldn't have postponed the show - this means it has already become a big event on the trade calendar and we are very happy to hear this."

As many as 18,000 people visited last year's BBSI, the GDN reported last March.

The three-day show featured live entertainment, boat trips, a helicopter show by the Coastguard and water and land rescue demonstrations by the BDF, in addition to some of the world's premium marine vessels and recreational lifestyle products that were on display.-TradeArabia News Service
 




Tags: Bahrain | Boat show |

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