The World Air Cargo Event 2008, which opened yesterday, will be twice as big when it returns next year.

The event which was held at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre has attracted more than 50 exhibitors and expects more than 2,000 visitors over three days.

The organisers Air Cargo Media announced that next year they would be expanding the event to include a sea and rail cargo element.

"We were enticed away from Dubai to Bahrain because of the support of Gulf Air and the Airport and the excellent facilities on offer here," said Air Cargo Media Chief Executive Ray Crane.

"What we have found here is that everyone is so positive about the event and that is why I will be contacting some people to expand the scope of next year's event when we return.

The show which was under the patronage of H.E. Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Deputy Prime Minister was opened by Assistant Under-Secretary of Aviation Services Ahmed Nemat Ali, who predicted strong growth for the local and regional air cargo business.

He said that forecasts for growth suggested that the Middle East would continue to expand business faster than the rest of the world. With the development of Bahrain International Airport, he forecast that cargo would increase from 300,000 tonnes a year to one million tonnes by 2030.

The potential for growth lay in Bahrain's strategic position as a hub with the Indian Sub-continent, Asia and Europe. And this was emphasised by air cargo giant DHL's decision to make Bahrain its Middle East hub.


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