HE the Deputy Prime Minister  Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Mahmoud  visiting
a pavilion. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil

By Ramesh Mathew

Staff Reporter

 

The Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE 2014) opened at the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC) yesterday.

Deputy Prime Minister  HE Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Mahmoud cut a ribbon to mark its formal inauguration at a  ceremony which was attended by diplomats, businessmen and senior officials.

Al-Mahmoud, accompanied by other dignitaries, visited a number of pavilions, spread over 20,000 square metres at the exhibition wing of the QNCC. 

A large number of  international, regional and local brands are taking part in the six-day event. 

There is a 15% growth in the number of participants  this year compared to 2013, according to organisers who said they had received more than 500 brands for the exhibition.

In 11 years the event has grown to be one of the largest of its kind in the region.

“The successful conduct of the event of this magnitude will help the country attract many more major exhibitions and exhibitors in coming years and Qatar would get more visibility and recognition at the international meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) sector,” said an official of the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA).

Many acclaimed names in diamonds and watches from Europe, notably from Belgium and Switzerland, are in Doha to attend the exhibition.  “We have all along noticed the growth of the local economy and the growing potential of many high-end customers here,” said a diamond trader from Antwerp, who has been taking part in the expo for the last eight years.     

Representatives of international companies participating in the event are hopeful that they would be able to generate good businesses in coming six days. However, some of the participants said the long distance from the city to the venue would be a major obstacle to their business plans. Because of road and other infrastructure works in the West Bay area, in particular in the vicinity of Doha Exhibitions Centre, the DJWE is shifted to the QNCC.

The exhibition is open to the public from 10am to 10pm from today.

 

 

Related Story