Riyadh Exhibitions Company Pioneered the Fairs and Events Sector in Saudi, says Dr. Akram Masri

Dr. Akram Masri, Chief of Operations at Riyadh Exhibitions Company Ltd (REC), the leading organizer of trade fairs and public events in Saudi Arabia, discusses pioneering the sector.

“I believe we are unique in this region, especially in the Kingdom, in one particular way. We pioneered this sector, and that is what sets us apart from everyone else you may talk to in this country or even in the region. Most of the regional leaders in Dubai weren’t around when we were conducting these activities. Even Dubai World Trade Center had only 4 halls out of the 21 when we were both operating in the industry. In fact, we sold some shows in Dubai to IIR, which was later bought by Informa, for example. So we were among the earlier international pioneers that were ahead of the current. We sold shows in those days, as far back as 30 years ago. What’s unique about us in Saudi is that we started and pioneered the sector here. We had the first and second venues, which we managed from 1980 until about 2009. In 2009, the Chamber of Commerce built another venue, so we moved our program over there. We used to cover all 13 sectors, but we gradually started to focus more on some of them because, if you have your own venue, there is no additional cost for you to do everything. So, even small events are okay. However, small events are not feasible if you have an expensive venue. Additionally, obtaining visas was very complicated at the time. There was no interest in tourism, and it was not seen as a priority to attract tourists to Saudi Arabia unless there was a business purpose. In the past, there was little national interest in developing the tourism sector. However, things have changed now. Visas are much easier to obtain, and the process can be completed online. Additionally, the visa policies are reciprocal. For instance, if the US government grants a Saudi citizen a five-year visa, then the Saudi government will do the same for an American citizen. It is important to note that the same reciprocity applies to E visas. Previously, women were not allowed to stay in hotels alone, whether they were locals or foreigners. Nowadays, women have the freedom to conduct their business and travel independently without any restrictions, as things have changed. The relaxed visa policies have made it easier for places like Dubai to grow rapidly, expanding from 4 to 21 halls. Despite this, we have succeeded in bringing in the biggest brands to the country through our platform since there was no other platform available at the time. International companies would come to our platform to meet with local dealers or distributors. The following year, big names like Microsoft would attend trade fairs and exhibit at the stands of their local partners. This was the initial process through which most companies entered the Saudi market. This has been our model for years across various sectors”, says Dr. Akram Masri.

For more information, please visit: www.recexpo.com 

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