The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB) is going to promote Brazilian company participation in seven new events this year, out of a total of 14 events in which the organization will participate in the Arab countries.
Among them are Tripoli International Fair, in Libya and Fair Horeca, in Lebanon, in which the CCAB is going to be present for the first time.
“We must be present in all the Arab countries. The intention is to participate more and more in fairs in the Arab countries,” stated Michel Alaby, secretary general of the organization.
There will be 12 commercial events and two turned for promotion of tourism in Brazil. The sectors contemplated vary from the furniture, shoe and civil construction sectors to jewelry, hospital equipment, hotel equipment, hotel management products and food technology.
“This year, CCAB participation in fairs is going to break its record,” stated Alaby. He believes that the presence of Brazilian companies in fairs in the Arab countries is not connected just to business, it is also connected to selling the country image.
Fair Horeca will take place in Beirut, between April 05 and 08. The event is turned to product and service suppliers for hotels, restaurants, buffets, hospitals and supermarkets.
Last year, the event counted on the participation of 297 companies, in a space of 4,356 square meters and a total of 17,000 visitors. This year the Brazilian stand will cover an area of 30 square meters and companies interested may enroll at the CCAB up to March 1.
Tripoli International Fair, to take place between April 02 and 12, is a multi-sector fair. According to Alaby, up to now the idea is for institutional participation, with the presence of a CCAB representative at an organization stand, but if Brazilian company interest arises, the space may be increased. “Libya is having a very significant commercial relationship with Brazil,” he said.
A novelty for medical, hospital and dentistry equipment sector products is Saudi Healthcare, to take place from May 29 to June 02 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“In the Arab world, Brazilian medical products gain more and more recognition,” stated Alaby. The Brazilian stand will have a space of 96 square meters and the intention is to take eight Brazilian companies.
The other new fairs that the CCAB will be present in are Motexha Autumn, an event turned to the fashion sector in general, to take place in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates; Alitec, in Casablanca, Morocco, in the food technology sector, and Saudi Motorshow, an auto parts fair in Riyadh.
The Brazilian pavilion at Motexha Autumn is only going to count on companies in the infant and masculine shoe sectors that, according to Alaby, are markets in expansion in the Arabian Gulf.
“We are going to participate in fairs turned to new sectors which have export potential. It is necessary to diversify the trade basket to the Arab countries,” stated the CCAB secretary general.
Tourism
In the tourism sector, a new event entered the CCAB calendar: Global Village, to take place in Dubai between March 01 and 15. This is a festival that brings together representatives from 20 countries to present handcraft, dance, culture and tourist destinations.
In the same sector, the CCAB is going to participate in Arabian Travel Market, also in Dubai, the largest tourism fair in the Middle East.
“The idea of Arabian Travel Market is to present the qualities and facilities offered by the countries participating. It is a mixed fair that brings together professionals in the tourism sector and people interested in travelling,” stated Alaby.
Brazilian participation in both events will be through an agreement between the Chamber and the Ministry of Tourism.
Traditional Fairs
The 38th Cairo International Fair, in Egypt, will take place between March 15 and 25. It is a multi-sector event, and this year a total of eight Brazilian companies will be participating, and there will also be a CCAB stand.
The Brazilian pavilion will cover an area of 99 square meters. “This is the seventh time we participate in this fair. The Brazilian space at the event has already increased fourfold,” stated Alaby.
One of the companies to participate is Serra Comercial, which specializes in light fixtures for city streets. The company is going to participate in an event in an Arab country for the first time.
“Our objective is to start exporting to the Arab countries and open an office, or a showroom in Cairo. I am seeking distributors,” stated Mary Benmayor, the company export representative.
Apart from Cairo and Tripoli International Fair, the CCAB is also going to be present in another two multi-sector fairs: Algiers International Fair, for the eighth time, and Damascus International Fair, in Syria, for the sixth time.
“At multi-sector fairs there are many small and medium companies participating, a very important factor for the country. This is a way of internationalizing these companies,” stated Alaby.
In the furniture sector, the CCAB is going to promote Brazilian company participation in the Index fair, in Dubai, for the eighth time, a fact that, in Alaby’s evaluation, shows that each edition of the fair generates growing interest in businessmen.
Last year, 42 companies participated, against 31 in 2003. “At the last fair, business of US$ 100 million was generated,” he said.
According to him, another sector in expansion in the Arabian Gulf is the civil construction sector.
“Estimates show that investment in the sector may rise as high as US$ 10 billion by 2010,” he said.
This is one of the reasons why the CCAB is going to participate in Big 5 Show, in Dubai, for the third time. This is the second largest fair in the sector in the world.
In the period between November 28 and December 2, the organization will be at Jewellery Arabia, in Bahrain, for the second time. The event is a jewelry sector fair dedicated, mainly, to the public in the region.
2005 Fair Calendar
01 to 15/03 – Global Village – United Arab Emirates
15 to 25/03 – Cairo International Fair – Egypt
02 to 12/04 – Tripoli International Fair – Libya
05 to 08/04 – Horeca – Lebanon
03 to 06/05 – Arabian Travel Market – United Arab Emirates
29/5 to 02/6 – Saudi Healthcare – Saudi Arabia
01 to 09/06 – Algiers International Fair – Algeria
03 to 12/09 – Damascus International Fair – Syria
12 to 15/09 – Motexha Autumn – United Arab Emirates
10 to 13/11 – Alitec – Morocco
13 to 18/11 – Saudi Motorshow – Saudi Arabia
16 to 20/11 – Big 5 Show – United Arab Emirates
22 to 24/11 – Jewellery Arabia – Bahrain
28/11 to 02/12 – Index – United Arab Emirates
Contact
Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce
Marketing Department
Tel: (+ 55 11) 3283-4066
e-mail: marketing@ccab.org.br
ANBA ”“ Brazil-Arab News Agency