Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) – the conference and exhibition dedicated to the region’s business aviation industry – is to become the signature annual event for the…
Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) – the conference and exhibition dedicated to the region’s business aviation industry – is to become the signature annual event for the recently-launched Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA), with Fairs & Exhibitions (F&E) partnering the industry to organise the new-look, two-day event, which will initially run at the Airport Expo Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates from 31 January – 1 February 2007.
The exclusive, long-term partnership agreement between MEBAA and F&E was signed at the Farnborough Air Show 2006 between the Association’s Chairman Ali Ahmed Al Naqbi and Virginia Kern, Chairman, F&E.
“This event is totally aligned with the Association’s goals of enhancing safety, security, efficiency and expansion of business aviation in the Middle East, which, with annual growth rates of 18% a year, is now outstripping that of Asia – the region previously acknowledged as the global engine driver for the industry,” said Al Naqbi.
“This is the right move for the Middle East industry at the right time and the right partner is F&E, which has firmly established its credentials as the only truly credible provider of aviation events of international calibre within the Middle East and with the necessary in-depth knowledge of, and contacts within, the region and beyond.”
MEBA 2007 is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Department of Civil Aviation, Government of Dubai and Chairman of the Emirates Group. In an introduction to Farnborough delegates, Sheikh Ahmed said MEBA was a physical testimony to the growth and demand for business aviation in the Middle East.
“MEBA will ensure that the global aviation industry keeps its eyes very much on the Middle East and its emerging aerospace infrastructure. This is a market that no-one can afford to ignore. With a continuing surge in inter-regional corporate travel, huge growth in tourism and an influx of international events being staged and hosted regionwide, the market can only continue upwards.”
Meanwhile His Royal Highness Prince Feisal Ibn Al-Hussein, supervisor and advisor to Royal Wings, the regional airline subsidiary of Jordanian flag-carrier Royal Jordanian, hailed the MEBAA and MEBA initiatives as the “right moves on the road to transparency and increased professionalism within the Middle East’s business aviation segment.”
Prince Feisal’s comments came as Jordan Private Jets (JP Jets) – a pioneer of private handling and supervision services providers and charter sales companies in the Hashemite Kingdom – became one of the first to sign for MEBA 2007.
“This is a growing sector and we need significant discussions about the regional market to open up,” said HRH Prince Feisal. “The market needs more professionalism and transparency and this is what both the Association and MEBA will help kick-start. I hope the conference realistically addresses concerns, of which open skies is one, which are seriously holding back the growth of this high potential segment.”
The man, known for his vocal views on regional deregulation of commercial air travel added: “We need more professional management – this is an issue which is affecting our credibility and sending out the wrong perception of business aviation in the Middle East – greater flexibility has to be the order of the day – these are the issues MEBA will help address.”
Ali Al Naqbi said since the launch of MEBAA just two months ago, the Association has received numerous requests for membership both from operators within the region and suppliers and brokers globally.
“It has been a roaring start – in some ways this may be an initiative which is long over-due but in what we have lacked in our start-up timetable, the Association will make up in its commitment and delivery to a business sector and a region which is now determined to be a genuine professional value-addition to the business aviation community worldwide,” he said.
MEBA 2007 is an evolution and expansion of the one-day conference event originally staged to coincide with Dubai 2005, the ninth international aerospace exhibition.
“The one-day initiative tested the waters and unearthed pent-up demand for a specialised forum within the Middle East,” said Kern“We now have an alliance which will help build the regional industry’s profile and which will assist in creating a strong professional base going forward.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
