Demand for space at Bahrain's first international air show has been so overwhelming that organisers had to reject approaches from additional companies hoping to take part, it has emerged.

A total of 40 organisations working in business, defence and commercial aviation were offered the chance to participate in the Bahrain International Air Show (BIAS) 2010, but Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company chairman Talal Alzain revealed it could have been more.

'The 40 exclusive business chalets for the event have been sold out for quite a while and on top of that, there was also a substantial demand for more,' he told a Press conference yesterday.

The show gets underway tomorrow at the Sakhir Airbase from 9am and runs until Saturday.

Russia said yesterday that it may not be able to showcase its Su-27 fighter at the show after Iranian authorities barred it from entering the nation's air space.

Officials yesterday played down the costs involved in staging the country's first international air show, arguing they were far outweighed by the benefits.

Chairman of the government's investment branch, the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, Talal Alzain, stressed that the much of the money ploughed into the event had gone back into the local economy.

He also highlighted the money that would be spent by companies talking part and overseas visitors to the Bahrain International Air Show (BIAS) 2010.

'The thing people should realise is that the money that has gone into BIAS is an investment rather than a cost,' he told a Press conference yesterday.

'On the face of it, BD11 million was paid for the construction of the chalets, but most of that - for the materials, the labour, the equipment - has gone back into Bahrain, so I think we are going to see a great return.

'There are both direct and indirect benefits to Bahrain.

'First, there is the money coming in from those companies taking part in the event, but also there is the increased demand for hotels, restaurants, materials, supplies and people around the country.'

Alzain was addressing journalists alongside Farnborough International Limited (FIL) exhibitions and events director Amanda Stainer and Civil Aviation Affairs (CAA) operational head Captain Abdul Rahman Al Gaoud at the Sakhir Airbase.

FIL and CAA are the joint organisers of BIAS, which is being held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad.

Captain Al Gaoud said CAA was looking forward to the event and dismissed suggestions that organisers were not prepared, saying the project had been in the pipeline for six years.

'Maybe, it seems like we have not had much time to prepare for the air show because all the construction has taken place in the last few months, but we have been in discussions with FIL since 2004,' he said.

'We have been working on this plan for a long time now and we are confident that we have the right project in place.'

Meanwhile, Stainer said FIL was delighted with progress on the event.

'I think with all the chalets sold and the presence of 74 aircraft at the exhibition, the proof is in the pudding,' she said.

BIAS kicks off at the Sakhir Airbase at 9am tomorrow and runs until Saturday.

The show is expected to welcome up to 40,000 visitors across its corporate and public events, which are being held simultaneously at the Sakhir site.-TradeArabia News Service