A completely new $500 million Expo City in Sakhir will add a new dimension to the thriving meeting, incentive, conference and exhibition (MICE) sector, said Minister of Industry and Commerce Hassan Abdulla Fakhro, who officially opened Bahrain's biggest annual consumer products expo, called the Autumn Fair at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre (BIEC). The expansion in the existing space and capacity for hosting expos and conferences would serve as a vital pillar of the country's national economy, he added. “With the completion of Expo City in the next 30 months, the existing capacity of 100,000 square meters will be doubled. BIEC's performance has a significant impact on hotel occupancy rates in the Kingdom and in shaping the MICE sector of Bahrain. The upcoming project is very important for the national development of the Kingdom,” the minister added. Fakhro was joined by the top government officials, the ambassadors of the participating countries during the opening of the 10-day Autumn Fair. This year's main items include carpets, stones, toys, textiles, cosmetics, interior décor accessories, electrical goods, food etc. With hundreds of exhibitors displaying a vast array of exciting products from all around the world and this year the number of visitors is likely to cross 200,000. The visitors can enjoy shopping in an exciting atmosphere and international flavor of this popular and successful annual event of BIEC. In another development, Oman Mobile has announced the launch of its 3.5G network, a local daily said. Company Managing Director Dr Amer Al Rawas said it will first submit the service to a test panel of selected corporate users, and then use the feedback to fine
