More than 200 companies from 32 countries are showcasing the latest in rides, games and play equipment, water facilities, audio-visual and theatre equipment at a major annual entertainment show in Dubai.

The 15th edition of the Dubai Entertainment, Amusement and Leisure Show (DEAL) at Dubai World Trade Centre was opened today (April 26) by Khalid bin Sulayem, director general of the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. The show will run until April 28.

DEAL 2009 is supposed to be a market with tremendous purchasing power and promises to attract buyers/visitors from regions covering Middle East, East & West Africa and the Indian subcontinent.

“Dubai continues to be the epicentre of the Middle East’s amusements industry, with development and product enhancement continuing at great speed,” said Abdul Rehman Falaknaz, president of International Expo-Consults (IEC), organisers of the show.

“The success of the 15th edition of DEAL is testament to the fact that the region’s appetite for fun continues to grow, despite the global credit crisis,” he added.

“DEAL is the most important industry exhibition in the Middle East,” said Rania Laing, vice-president of Megatouch Middle East, a company specialised in supplying amusements.

“It’s the perfect forum to meet new customers and discuss new business. We have been regular exhibitors since DEAL started and have had always had a good response to our participation. DEAL is a show that tends to bring quality investors as well as being the perfect platform to showcase our products and services,” she noted.

Megatouch is one of the fastest growing Family Entertainment Centre (FEC) consultancies in the Middle East. The company currently has multiple projects throughout Syria and Jordan as well as two in Saudi Arabia and one just about to open in Abu Dhabi.

“The Middle East will always be a hub of business activity and trade,” Laing continued.

“Entertainment, amusement and leisure activities meet a basic human need and while you have countries that are at different stages of development, you will always have opportunities to build new markets while expand and refresh current markets.”

UK mascot company Rainbow Productions is making its third appearance at the show with costume characters and puppets and a brand new character created for the leisure sector making special guest appearances at the stand.

Simon Foulkes, sales & marketing director at Rainbow Productions, said: “Rainbow Productions sees Dubai and the GCC region as an exciting market in which to do business and our decision to return to DEAL is based on our successful presence at the previous two exhibitions.”

“For 2009, Rainbow Productions has developed stage shows featuring HIT Entertainment’s hugely popular licensed character Bob the Builder, which have been specifically created for shopping centres in the GCC/ Middle East region. We are delighted to offer these shows to DEAL 2009 visitors,” Foulkes added.

DEAL 2009 will also incorporate a one-day seminar programme. Organised and presented by ALES-UK (Amusement & Leisure Equipment Suppliers), the seminar series will take place on April 27 and will tackle such topics as setting up a theme park, managing multi-use facilities and the importance of staff training. – TradeArabia News Service