The GCC is witnessing a huge demand for landscaping design, garden equipments and outdoor living products thanks to record oil prices and a booming construction industry worth over Dh3.6 trillion ($980 billion), according to Epoc Messe Frankfurt.

Epoc Messe Frankfurt are organisers of the Garden and Landscaping Middle East exhibition, which will be held in Dubai from May 25 to 27.

“According to recent statistics, up to five million residential units are under construction in the GCC, including more than 1,400 new high-profile developments collectively valued at over Dh2.5 trillion,” said Eckhard Pruy, CEO of Epoc Messe Frankfurt.

“The building boom will see hundreds of billions of dirhams being spent on new housing developments, apartment blocks, hotels, leisure facilities, office developments shopping malls and even islands over the next five years,” he added.

According to Pruy, the housing upsurge will fuel a secondary boom for the garden and landscaping sectors, as these developments will require hundreds of square kilometers of landscaping.

“Projects such as Dubailand will require vast amounts of landscaping, as will of course the Palm Islands and the World Projects. Add to this new golf courses and park facilities and it is not surprising that it is currently estimated that over Dh 60 billion is expected to be spent on gardens and landscaping in the next five years,” he added.

Gavin A. Morlini, senior show manager of Garden and Landscaping Middle East, forecasts that by 2010 "Dubai’s new homes, apartments, hotels and clubs will see as many as 5,000 new swimming pools being built."

"The number of new houses currently being built will require over five million square meters of lawns to be laid. The spent on garden furniture will be nearly Dh120 million, while the spend on barbecues will be over Dh37 million. The outlay for paving stones, ornamental stones and decking for all types of developments will exceed Dh210 million according to our research," he added.

Morlini pointed out that the Middle East had over 2,100 projects either planned or underway in the Gulf region in 2006, of which the UAE and Saudi Arabia made up 29 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively.

With 15-25 per cent of the world's construction cranes in operation, Dubai will remain the "construction capital" of the Gulf. Yet Abu Dhabi is set to be "the next Dubai", while Jeddah is benefiting from Saudi Arabia's development of its western region.

Further, Kuwait's construction industry is one of the most robust in the region, with a value nearing Dh 14.4 billion and planned investments are estimated at over Dh.39.6 billion according to construction industry estimates.-TradeArabia News Service