Venue management and live entertainment company ASM Global has announced the opening of the 950,000 square-foot Exhibition World Bahrain.
ASM Global has said the new space is the largest exhibition centre in the Middle East and is expected to position Bahrain as a destination for regional and international conventions.
The opening event was attended by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain, on behalf of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
The Grand Hall has a capacity of 4,000 seated guests, and is supported by 94 meeting rooms, and 25 food and beverage and retail outlets. The centre’s spacious design offers the ability to host a number of events simultaneously, and can be used for exhibitions, conventions, galas, weddings, concerts, sports and live entertainment events.
Exhibition World Bahrain is owned by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), with ASM Global tasked with operating the venue.
ASM Global president and chief executive Ron Bension said: “This moment is the culmination of our plan developed during the pandemic leveraging our belief that this part of the world would be the quickest to not only return to normal but move quickly to dramatically increase its convention and exhibition market share.
“We’re also looking forward to leveraging the widest network in the world within the MICE industry to create unique experiences built on years of expertise.”
ASM Global APAC and Gulf Region chairman and CEO Harvey Lister added: “ASM Global is proud to be working in partnership with BTEA helping to ensure Bahrain will be at the forefront of attracting tourism investment, international conventions and exhibitions and world-class live events to the Gulf region.
“This iconic landmark venue will further position Bahrain as an international destination, helping to drive diversification of growth, benefiting the local economy and further enhancing the kingdom’s global standing.”
Following the opening of Exhibition World Bahrain, the convention centre immediately opened to the public with three concurrent events – Jewellery Arabia Scent Arabia and Cityscape.