Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company has revealed that more than half a million people have visited the new Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) since the venue opened in February 2007. The total number, which is equivalent to the population of a city the size of Las Vegas, was achieved earlier than expected because of a high turnout at the thirteen major international exhibitions staged at ADNEC since it was opened by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, earlier this year.

Commenting on the announcement, Simon Horgan ADNEC CEO said: ADNEC was built because of the extremely strong demand for a new world class exhibition centre in the UAE capital city. I am therefore delighted that the first exhibitions at the new venue have been so successful in attracting visitors. In addition to the brand new events coming to Abu Dhabi because of the improved exhibition facilities, we are also witnessing the expansion of well established shows because they have now been given a platform to grow and develop.

The company has also recently announced that construction work has started on Phase 2 of ADNEC. The AED 580million (USD 158 million) project will see the venue double in size to become the Middle East`s largest purpose-built exhibition centre with inter-connected exhibition floor space totalling more than 55,000 square metres.

We fully expect to welcome around one million visitors a year to the venue once Phase 2 is complete. In doing so, ADNEC will be responsible for a general growth in the UAE exhibition industry of around 25 per cent, Horgan concluded.

Phase 2 of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre is scheduled for completion in autumn 2008.