By Paul Nicholson
September 11 – The ASPIRE4SPORT Congress and Exhibition is expected more than 3,000 attendees and is already close to beating last year’s exhibitor numbers. Taking place November 16-19 at the Aspire Dome in Doha, the organisers are reporting a diverse set of registrants spanning geographies and business disciplines looking to tap into expanding sports business sectors including construction, sports medicine and sports technology.
Hamad Saif Buhindi, executive director of ASPIRE4SPORT said: “ASPIRE4SPORT has proven to be the gateway to the sports industry of the region, and we would like to retain our vanguard position during the 2013 round. Our aim is to demonstrate to the whole world, and specifically to Qatari companies, how business and sports contribute to the growth of each other.”
This year’s exhibition will be broken down into five key sports industry areas: Aspire TECH, Aspire BUILD, Aspire LOGISTICS, Aspire ORG and Aspire MED.
A report by Deloitte highlighted the opportunities for the construction sector in Qatar as the country gears up to spend $140 billion over the next five years in transport infrastructure and over $200 billion in construction projects.
Qatar is investing heavily into becoming a commercial and sporting hub in the Middle East over the next few years, and focusing on attracting more sustainable tourism by improving transport infrastructure and developing attractions.
Successful delivery of a historic FIFA World Cup is seen by the government as important in this respect as it is leaving a legacy for Qatar in terms of football, infrastructure and economic development.
MEED’s Qatar Megaprojects 2013 report examined the top 20 megaprojects in the country and found the actual building of the World Cup Stadiums is only 15th in the list of projects by value in Qatar in the build-up, behind (in order of value) the construction of Lusail City; the Qatar Integrated Rail Project; Hamad International Airport, Local Roads and Drainage Scheme; Barzan Gas Development; Barwa City Development; Doha, Lusail and Dukhan Highways; Education City; Ras Laffan Complex; New Doha Port; Pearl-Qatar; Ras Laffan Olefins Project; Msheireb and the Transmission Project but ahead in the top 20 list of the Inner Doha Re-sewerage Implementation Strategy; Al-Waab City; Doha Festival City; Al-Jawhara City and Barwa al-Baraha.
An estimated of $168bn (87%) of remaining work on these projects is yet to be awarded. So the opportunities for attendees at ASPIRE4SPORT to network with Qatari companies are fairly obvious.
According to the International Monetary Fund, Qatar’s diversified investments are expected to bring its GDP to USD 219 billion by the end of 2013 – the highest per capita GDP in the world.
Now in its fourth year, ASPIRE4SPORT comes under the auspices of the Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) which comprises three member organisations: Aspire Academy, Aspetar and Aspire Logistics. Each member works to promote AZF both as a centre of excellence and as a destination for the sports world.
Allied to the exhibition is a conference programme. Topics and speakers have yet to be revealed.
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