Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions expands its Arab Health brand portfolio into emerging market territories

Dubai, UAE: Arab Health Exhibition & Congress, organised by Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions, began 40 years ago as a small trade show under canvas on a patch of land in Dubai, UAE. Since then, the event has evolved into one of the world’s largest and most successful medical events reflecting the increasing importance of the Middle East as a global healthcare hub and now continues to expand its presence into the emerging territories.

“As a global exhibitions organiser, we are seeing very buoyant growth in emerging market territories where trade shows continue to be a major source of buyer and seller interaction,” says Simon Page, Managing Director, Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions. “Research into new markets is a priority in order to develop the Arab Health brand portfolio. Ongoing efforts are made to identify which territories are poised for healthcare expansion and how we can assist the Arab Health clients with establishing a reputation within these countries.”

As an integral part of the Arab Health Exhibition and Congress, MEDLAB is the leading medical laboratory and IVD technology event in the Middle East and attracted more than 15% of the overall visitors to Arab Health in 2014. As part of the strategic plan to expand the Arab Health brand across the globe, the MEDLAB Series has now been launched with MEDLAB events taking place in Dubai, Riyadh Johannesburg, Lagos, Nairobi, and Singapore. MEDLAB Series will serve the IVD networks in developing markets.

The African healthcare sector is increasingly showing signs of improvement in its overall quality and availability of care and, as a result, Arab Health extended its global presence with the three-day Africa Health Exhibition & Congress at in Johannesburg, South Africa.

According to Page, “Active government support in recent years means a continued focus on healthcare expansion in Africa. Arab Health identified this gap in the market and set about enhancing private sector investment by providing a platform for the world’s leading manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors to meet the medical community from the Southern African region and beyond.”

Another important addition to the Arab Health brand portfolio was the Saudi Health Exhibition & Conferences which took place for the second time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabi, in May 2014. The launch of this event was based on the strategic cooperation between Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions and Riyadh Exhibitions Company (REC), the organisers of Saudi Medicare Exhibition which then became Saudi Health.

“Saudi Health serves as the number one destination for business networking, clinical education and global partnerships that the Saudi healthcare industry has to offer. This event is firmly endorsed by the Saudi Ministry of Health,” says Page.