The second edition of the Doha Trade Fair, described as the “biggest shopping event” in Qatar this season, will get underway at the Doha Exhibitions Centre from Thursday.
The 10-day “shopper’s paradise” has the backing of the Qatar Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (QTEA) and the Al Maraya Public Relations Company.
There will be 514 stands displaying a wide range of products and services from 400 exhibitors from more than 20 countries in addition to two dozen Qatar-based companies.
Special country pavilions have been designated for Bahrain, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates.
Visitors can choose from the latest in clothes, curtains, food, accessories, home supplies, decorations, games, sport equipments, art crafts and furniture of international brands from several countries including Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Italy, Korea, Thailand and Turkey.
The fair is open to all from 11am to 10pm from Saturday to Thursday and 4pm to 11pm on Fridays, an official said yesterday.
The first Doha Trade Fair last year was part of the greater Qatar Summer Festival that ran from July 15 to August 5. The number of stalls then was 345 spread over 10,000sq m.
QTEA Local Exhibitions head Lahdan al-Mohannadi said: “We are proud to host the 2009 edition of the Doha Trade Fair, which will gather for the first time exhibitors from so many diverse countries and offer a wider range of unique products.”
Al Maraya’s managing director Jaber al-Mansouri said: “Doha Trade Fair 2009 stands as a special international trading and shopping experience for traders and businessmen to make successful as well as profitable bargains, as they can purchase large quantities of international products under one roof.”
The over 100,000 visitors expected to visit the fair will be given gifts at the main information counter, al-Mansouri said.