A Visit to the Ideal Home Expo in Dammam
- Lifestyles
- Special Interest
Author: Britney B.
Released 14 May 2003
Iranian Trader
Photographs Contributed by Britney B.
Last week I joined a trip run by the Dhahran Women’s Group to the Ideal Home Expo at the Dhahran Exhibition Center in Dammam. Two busloads of women descended on the exhibition with three things on their minds – to spend, spend, spend. And we were not disappointed. Traders with goods ranging from furniture to pots and pans from many countries in the Middle East were waiting to seduce us with a vast array of merchandise. Particularly beautiful were the tablecloths and wall hangings, and the carpets and curios being sold by the Iranian traders.
International trade exhibitions have become a vital link between manufacturers and the public for well over a hundred years. The first trade exhibition, known as The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations, was held in the specially constructed Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, from 1st May to 15th October 1851. Conceived by Prince Albert, this celebration of British imperial and industrial might was the first international exhibition of manufactured products and was enormously influential on the development of many aspects of society including art and design, education, international trade and relations, and even tourism. Over 13,000 exhibits were viewed by more than 6,200,000 visitors, and the profits from the event funded public works such as the Albert Hall, the Science Museum, the National History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The Exhibition also set the precedent for the many international exhibitions which followed during the next one hundred and fifty years.
Janet Admiring a Beautiful Tablecloth
The Dhahran International Exhibition Center was founded in 1985 by a group of leading Saudi businessmen who saw the potential for economic growth in the Eastern Province. Trade shows held include an Eid and a Ramadan Fair, Egyptian Products Expo, Ideal Home Expo, Dhahran International Book Fair, Leather, Cosmetics & Gift Fair, Motor Show, National Industries Expo; and Food Technology Expo. The modern ten million dollar center covers 81,000 square feet, and an open area on the site provides another 108,000 square feet of space. State-of-the-art technology includes bilingual communications facilities, computers, fax lines and radio/TV facilities. There is also a restaurant, VIP lounge, press office, mosque and support facilities.
To find out more about the Center, including the exact location and a list of forthcoming events, visit their website at www.dhahran-expo.com. Unfortunately, the list of events for the remainder of 2003 does not seem to be available. I have emailed them requesting this but as of going to press have received no reply. If I ever do I will post the listing as soon as I receive it.
We reluctantly left the exhibition at 11:30, with one busload of ladies opting to lunch at a downtown restaurant in Al-Khobar, and the other bus coming straight back to camp. A great time was had by all. Many thanks to the ladies of the DWG who organized such a fine trip.