(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Â Gitex Shopper, a sought-after global destination for technology shoppers, opened on Saturday at the Dubai World Trade Centre with retail giants and leading electronics brands dazzling visitors with alluring bargains and gifts.
Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, opened the sales spectacle that is expected to generate Dh200 million in transactions, surpassing the record sales at the previous edition held in 2011.
Being a weekend, the opening day witnessed unusual rush as customers streamed into the exhibition halls showcasing breathtaking array of consumer products ranging from tablets, cameras, televisions, smartphones, to household appliances, gadgets, games and entertainment accessories from 120 sellers. The eight-day event, running until Saturday, is expected to see more than 175,000 visitors.
The opening day saw excited shoppers spoilt for choice as sellers and retail leaders offered irresistible prizes and bargains on more than 30,000 different gadgets and consumer products from across the world.
"Deals range on almost everything from the latest TVs, smartphones, tablets, and digital cameras to household appliances, gadgets, games and entertainment accessories. Day one saw visitors enjoying the fun festival atmosphere at the event, with music, street dancers, DJs and competitions worth a staggering Dh50 million to reward lucky shoppers," organisers said.
With the UAE's consumer electronics market expected to reach a record $3.8 billion this year, and an ever-growing demand for exhibition space at Gitex Shopper, organisers have boosted the display area by 25 per cent. Some of the world's top consumer IT and electronics brands, including industry giants Bose, Dell, Epson, Fujitsu, HP, HTC, Intel, Nintendo, Samsung, Sanford and Seagate have mounted impressive display for their products.
"Gitex Shopper offers the ideal platform to keep abreast of the world's new launches, top trends and innovative advances," said Trixee Loh, senior vice-president, Dubai World Trade Centre, organiser of the sales exhibition.
"Our exhibitors have put together an unbeatable range of products and special offers, and with the ultra-convenient central location of the show this year, we are expecting Gitex Shopper to break new records." The showpiece digital and electronics festival has lined up world's top technology brands, many of whom are first time stand-alone participants. These include Acer, Asus, Ferrari Headphones, HTC, LG, Nestle, Toshiba and Western Digital. In addition, top consumer brands such as Bose, Canon, Dell, Epson, Fujifilm, HCL, HP, Intel, Lexar, Nikon, Nintendo, Samsung, Seagate and Toshiba will be showcasing their latest products and offering exceptional value across the board.
"We will be showcasing an array of advanced technologies and innovative products during the show, and are particularly pleased to reveal 'the Ultimate Display': LG's OLED TV, the world's largest and slimmest OLED TV, a significant step in the advancement of display technology," said D.Y. Kim, president, LG Electronics Gulf.
Leading distributors and retailers, including Al Falak, Al Sayegh, CompuME, E-City, emax, etisalat, Geekay Games, iSTYLE, Jacky's Electronics, Jumbo Electronics, Plug-Ins, Sharaf DG, Tarsam, Touchmate and V.V. & Sons enjoyed overwhelming success on the opening day with crowded stands, excited customers and bumper sales, organisers said in a statement.
"This is our first year at the Shopper and we are thrilled to be showcasing some exciting new tablet ranges from our partner ARCHOS," said Asad Sayed, business manager at Banian, the exclusive distributor for French tablet. "With the recent upsurge in the tablets sector, we thought it is important for us to tap into this growth via the show."
He said ARHCOS's latest range of tablets, Gen 10 101XS, is the slimmest tablet in the world and comes with a magnetic keyboard. "It is the very first shipment in the world is available at the show."
"Gitex Shopper is an excellent platform to connect with our customers and offer the latest technology products at the best prices. At this year's show, we are bringing two new lifestyle accessory brands to the region for the first time. In addition, we will be showcasing a new brand of tablets launched out of India. We are very optimistic about our participation at the show and have expanded our presence to cater to the increasing number of visitors each year," said emax chief executive officer Neelesh Bhatnagar.
The Shopper is open from 11:00am to 10:00pm from September 29 to October 3; from 11am to 11pm from October 4 to October 6.
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