13/02/2011 00:00 AST
The unprecedented growth of the Saudi construction market has been attracting a lot of international interest, underpinned by the Saudi government's plan to investing $400 billion on infrastructure over the next 5 years.
As a result, the value of building and construction contracts in the Kingdom is forecast to exceed $138 billion by 2012.
Against this backdrop, the Jeddah Centre for Forums and Events will host "Big 5 Saudi Arabia", the industry's leading building and construction show, from Feb. 27 to March 2, 2011.
Some 165 exhibitors from outside the GCC will exhibit in the "The Big 5", which represent 70 percent of the attending exhibitors.
Targeting the Kingdom's architects, engineers, contractors, project managers and construction professionals, the event will provide a platform from where buyers and sellers of construction products can meet and do business in a country that ranks first in the Middle East when it comes to investor confidence.
Saleh Kamel, the Chairman of The Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), and the official patron of the event, said holding the Big 5 show in Jeddah after its great success in Dubai was a testament to ongoing efforts to rise up to the exciting opportunities provided by planned growth to strengthen further the national economy.
He emphasized that the international interest in the Saudi construction and building projects will greatly benefit the regional business community and solidifies its global bonds, which in turn would allow a more sustainable development process and an efficient level of progress.
In the competitive Saudi market, the show assumes a unique level of importance due to its location. Jeddah is the commercial capital of Saudi Arabia and is the gateway city to the world's leading destinations in religious tourism.
Furthermore, the proximity to the newly created economic cities gives Jeddah an unparalleled advantage in serving as a great hub for the construction and building industries.
Projects in Jeddah include a seaport, industrial zone, waterfront resort, and an education zone. In July 2010, there were 710 active projects in the Western Province alone, where Jeddah is the central business hub.
Andy White, the event director of "The Big 5 Saudi Arabia" said that there will be a global offering of products and services reflective of the diverse group of participants coming from different parts of the world.
He noted that the scale and volume of projects in Saudi Arabia, and in its Western province in particular, makes the location of the exhibition a natural choice.
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