The Dubai Airshow, which will celebrate its 10th edition this November, is gearing up for its biggest ever showing in what will be the event’s Airport Expo Dubai finale with plans to move to a larger facility in 2009. The show – now the third largest in the world – will move to a new purpose-built site at Dubai Exhibition World at Dubai World Central, the huge urban aviation complex being built at Jebel Ali, 30 kilometres outside Dubai city for the 2009 event.

“We are experiencing tremendous growth in demand for floor space and the constraints of Airport Expo has led to some creative solutions – including an increase in the number of outdoor pavilions both on the static park and at the edge of the stair wells for East and West Halls. Aisle width has also been reduced,” explained Alison Weller, Aerospace Director, Fairs & Exhibitions (F&E), which organises the Dubai Airshow.

Dubai 2007 has some 40 new-to-market exhibitors in this year’s profile and five companies are planning specific pavilions – these are Dubai Aerospace, Dubai World Central, Action Aviation, Eurofighter and Italy’s International Aviation Supplies.

To date, around 90% of floor space for Dubai 2007 has been sold or reserved to companies from 36 countries – including first-time representation from the Cayman Islands. All of the onsite chalets have been reserved with F&E now allocating applicants to a waiting list.

“National pavilion commitments are expected to follow this month’s Paris Airshow which will see us firmly on the path to a ‘sold-out’ scenario,” said Weller.

The Dubai Airshow will make its last sales push at the Paris Airshow from June 18-24 where it will have a presence on the Dubai stand in Hall 3.

Dubai 2007 will also feature two industry-specific pavilions – an unmanned aerial vehicles pavilion organised by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International and training and simulation pavilion.