MANAMA: The franchise industry is one of the rapidly growing sectors of the region’s economy with approximately size of $30 billion and promising prospects of 27% growth annually in the MENA region.
This was revealed during the official launching ceremony of Franchise and Dine Expo Bahrain, which takes place on 8th and 9th November which would add a new dimension to MICE calendar of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
To be held under the patronage of H.E. Shaikh Hisham bin AbdulRahman Al-Khalifa, Governor of the Capital Governorate, the Expo’s launching ceremony was held in the presence and participation of number of government organisations and NGOs.
The event is being organised with the support and participation of the Capital Governorate, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA), and Tamkeen as the official strategic partner, and the presence of officials from BCCI and professional NGOs such as Bahrain businesswomen Society (BBS), the SMEs Society, and the media, Co-organisers; Quick Media Solutions Company W.L.L (QMS) and the Middle East and North Africa Franchise Association (MENAFA).
Themed “Expand Your Global Footprints in the Middle East Market” the Expo will provide ample opportunity to businesses for exploring new avenues of expansion.
The salient features of the launch included a welcoming address and the patron’s opening speech delivered by Hassan Abdulla Al-Madani, Deputy Governor of the Capital Governorate, deputizing the patron, HE Shaikh Hisham Bin AbdulRahman Al-Khalifa, Governor of the Capital Governorate.
Al-Madani conveyed the governor’s greetings and warm wishes for the organizers, partners, supporters, exhibitors and all participants to succeed in their endeavours to achieve the goals set for this event.
Madani also emphasized that the expo patronized by the Capital Governor and supported by the Capital Governorate is in line with the governorate’s objectives in offering a business platform for small and medium size enterprises to explore various opportunities and new business prospects at the local, regional and global levels, and attract many experiences from different sectors such as education, training, food, health, business and others.
On behalf of Tamkeen, the event’s official strategic partner, Dr. Ebrahim Janahi, Chief Executive, spoke about the support that Tamkeen provides to many Bahraini enterprises, namely SMEs, to grow and develop, and the opportunities envisioned in the forthcoming event where different enterprises including SMEs will be participating and benefiting from such events and what it has to offer that will help them to further develop their businesses, and venture into the world of franchise and access new markets.
“Bahrain Franchise & Dine Expo 2017 will be the first edition of upcoming franchise events in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The franchise industry is one of the primes worth approximately $30 billion growing at a rate of 27% annually in the MENA region,” Dr. Khalid Al-Sharafa, Founder and Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Frachise Association (MENAFA) and Co-Organizer of the expo, added.
“Our aim is in line with the Government of Bahrain’s goals to promote growth and expansion regionally and globally for investors to explore their options in Bahrain, and great concepts to expand globally, and we hope this first franchise expo in Bahrain will bring under one roof leading global and homegrown franchisors to meet and connect. This will be a premier business event, attracting the most successful brands and service providers with the aim of networking with investors,” he added.
