The upcoming editions of the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX 2018) and the Simulation Exhibition and Conference (SimTEX 2018) have witnessed strong international exhibitor demand from specialized defense and security companies.
Set to run from 25th to 27th February 2018 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the dual exhibition is co-organized by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) and the UAE Armed Forces General Headquarters (GHQ). The events will see a 25% increase in exhibition space compared to previous editions.
Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Group CEO of ADNEC, said: “The strong interest in UMEX and SimTEX from key players in the global defense industry reinforces Abu Dhabi’s status as a preferred destination for specialized global exhibitions and conferences. The 25% increase in exhibition space is testimony to ADNEC's ability to drive the expansion of this vital industry through attracting new international events to the emirate and consolidating its existing event portfolio.”
“To build on the tremendous success of IDEX and NAVDEX this year and UMEX and SimTEX in 2016, we need to step up our efforts in organizing the upcoming editions of the events to reflect the stature and reputation of the UAE,” he added.
Al Dhaheri noted that ADNEC’s highly talented national workforce and Abu Dhabi's ambitious economic vision have enabled the company to set a benchmark in leading and developing the exhibition sector. He also thanked the UAE Armed Forces GHQ for its continued support for ADNEC’s defense exhibitions.
Saeed Al Mansouri, Director of IDEX and NAVDEX, said: “The success of ADNEC’s marketing strategy for UMEX and SimTEX 2018 reflects Abu Dhabi’s prominent status in the global business tourism arena. We have taken the lead in this vital sector and are no longer competing with the world. We now aim to establish new synergies and explore uncharted areas of specialization.”
“Our global marketing campaign involves attending specialized international defense events, where we connect with decision makers from leading companies in the sector to drive participation in our two exhibitions,” he added.
This year, the ADNEC team has participated in several international defense exhibitions including the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) 2017 exhibition in Dallas, United States, and the International Defense Technology Exhibition and Conference (ITEC 2017) in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
In addition, the IDEX stand at the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF 2017) in Istanbul, Turkey, registered a high footfall from major exhibitors and decision makers in the global defense industry.
ADNEC’s flagship venue, the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, offers 133,000 square meters of interconnected floor space to meet the requirements of a wide variety of events and exhibitions. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and built to international standards, the venue attracted 1.5 million people across 480 events in 2016.
