Saudi International Boat Show 2010, the second edition of the only international leisure marine and tourism festival in the Kingdom, has announced that the 2010 edition will showcase a broader range of marine products and services to cater to the growing number of maritime developments in the GCC. It will be held on Dec. 8-11 at the Al Furusya Marina & Yacht Club in Jeddah. New business opportunities have emerged for international suppliers with the recent announcement of 12 major maritime projects to be implemented within the next three years in the GCC with a collective value of over $35 billion, including three in Saudi Arabia in King Abdullah Economic City, Jizan Economic City and the Kingdom City, the organizer said Saturday. The event is organized by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), endorsed by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities and venue managed by Al Ahlam Marine Tourism Group. The gathering provides an ideal marketing and networking platform for leading industry players in the boating and maritime sector. The GCC's high disposable income likewise serves as a key catalyst for growth, it added. A study on the salaries of senior management executives, who are key customers for yachts and luxury boats, has revealed that disposable income of managers in the GCC is the highest in the world with all Gulf countries dominating the top six rankings. “Saudi Arabia remains strongly positioned to contribute in establishing the GCC as a premier boating hub because of the government's proactive development initiatives. With its proximity to the Red Sea and the growing reclamation projects being undertaken, Jeddah in particular will be crucial in the government's vision to harness the full economic potential of the maritime sector. Saudi International Boat Show 2010 will serve as an ideal complementary initiative that will generate global awareness and drive more business opportunities in the country,” said Prince Abdullah Bin Saud Bin Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, chairman of Al Ahlam Marine Tourism Group, venue management of Saudi International Boat Show 2010. “We have made extensive preparations to accommodate an expected increase in the number of visitors and exhibitors at this year's Saudi International Boat Show. This event provides a consolidating platform that will leverage the surge in demand for various maritime products and services in the Kingdom. We have studied feedback from last year's participants, allowing us to further improve this year's showcase that will include a much more comprehensive range of the latest superyachts, leisure crafts, accessories and services,” said Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO, Dubai World Trade Centre. Many local and international leading brands have already confirmed their participation, including Al Ahlam Marine Tourism Group, Al Khorayef Commercial Co. Ltd., ART Marine LLC, Blue Limits, Chehab Marine, Garmin, KB Marine, Mega Marine, Princess Yachts, Westport and many more. Saudi International Boat Show 2010, which attracted over 37,000 buyers from all over the region during its inaugural exhibition last year, will feature a dedicated Supplies & Services Pavilion that will group together regional dealers and distributors displaying an extensive range of navigation equipment, engines and fixtures and fittings. The Marina Display Area will showcase top-of-the-range models from the world's leading boat manufacturers in what is the largest display of superyachts, leisure crafts, fishing boats, power and sailing boats in the Kingdom. The Saudi International Boat Show Dive Village, on the other hand, is Saudi Arabia's only dedicated diving village, offering diving lessons and seminars as well as several other activities focusing on diving and marine tourism. Saudi International Boat Show 2010 will also feature a full weekend of festivities.
