Mid East's Hospitality Boom Fuels Carpet Deman

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 31, 2006--The Middle East's hospitality sector boom, which industry experts predict will see some US $15 billion invested in up to 2,000 new hotels throughout the region in the coming five years, is fuelling contract carpeting demand, according to one of the industry's leading players. Speaking on the final day of Domotex Middle East 2006-- the first in the specialized flooring and carpets trade show to be held in Dubai--Karim El Sadek of Cambridge Weavers, the Axminster wall-to-wall division of Egyptian heavyweight Oriental Weavers, said his company is currently quoting on new build and refurbishment projects throughout the region which has now been identified as a major growth area. "At this show alone we have received enquiries from contractors throughout the UAE, Oman, Iraq, Libya and from South Africa. Demand is very high, not just from contractors working on the many new projects coming on line but from those servicing existing properties undergoing major refurbishment," he said. Germany's Object Carpet has reported taking a huge order from a major development in the UAE capital. "With its tourism sector now opening up, we are seeing intense interest from Abu Dhabi," said Iris Seiffer, the company's director of Middle East Business Development. Meanwhile the UK's Bloor Floors brand reported a sales windfall from Domotex Middle East with almost US $230,000 worth of deals from two of Saudi Arabia's top companies. "Within 48 hours we took contracts to provide around 11,000 square metres of PVC flooring for Saudi Aramco's new offices and a second order for PVC flooring and 30,000 square metres of wallcoverings for the Kingdom-wide premises of Saudi Arabia's Islamic Development Bank," said Salman Haider, senior export officer of walls & floors Middle East FZCO, which represents Bloor Floors regionally. "The great thing is that this show has attracted real decision makers. We have also had great interest from Kenya, Qatar and India." And the stage is now set for Domotex Middle East 2007, which will be held in June next year with organisers Deutsche Messe AG Hannover, one of the world's top three trade fair organisers, reporting strong interest in repeat bookings. "We have also had a number of trade visitors wanting to exhibit next year," said Susanne Klaproth, director, Domotex Exhibitions. Among trade visitors looking for space at next year's event is China's Huzhou Fuma Wood and Syria's Boyadjian Carpet Company. "I like what I see at this show and it is such an emerging market that we have to be here next year," said Jenny Liu, managing director of Huzhou. Steve Boyadjian who runs Aleppo's Boyadjian Carpet Company said he wanted to take early day advantage of floor space for the 2007 show. "We've seen great potential here and will definitely be present next year," he said. Domotex Middle East 2006 featured over 240 exhibitors from 36 countries and was the fastest-selling launch trade show in the history of the Dubai World Trade Centre.