ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Sunday, June 29th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

MCI, in association with Xeitgeist Entertainment Group, is gearing up to host the inaugural International Showbiz Expo (ISBE) at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from October 20 to 22 2014.This is the first entertainment industry event of its type to be held in the region.

The Middle East region has a thriving film and entertainment industry with the UAE leading the market in terms of gross box office, recording 145 million USD in 2013. Last year 12.9 million tickets were sold in the UAE alone compared to Qatar, Lebanon, Kuwait and Iran who achieved ticket sales of 16.4 million tickets combined. The region has also witnessed a sharp increase in the number of screens, a total standing of more than 2000, of which 800 are digital screens.

ISBE will host exhibitors ranging from studios, distributors, media outlets, cinema infrastructure and technology providers, talent and marketing agencies, theatre companies, festivals and more. Gulf Film LLC, NOVO Cinemas, Empire International, REEL Cinemas and VOX Cinemas have already extended their support for the ISBE.

Ajay Bhojwani, Managing Director MCI Middle East commented: “We want ISBE to be the world’s largest and most prestigious Expo for the entertainment world and Abu Dhabi is the ideal place for global entertainment professionals to meet and discuss opportunities for developing the media infrastructure in this region. ”

The event is expecting to attract more than 2,000 professionals and young creative from the entertainment industry. The three day event will also feature a conference with speakers from Hollywood, Asia and Middle East that will provide ample opportunities for young creative to network with top industry professionals.

ADNEC Group CEO, Pieter Idenburg, commented: “We are always delighted to support and host new events here at ADNEC. Abu Dhabi is a dynamic city that is well placed to host an equally dynamic expo. We are looking forward to welcoming this first of its kind event to our venue and increasing awareness of Abu Dhabi’s offering as a global business tourism destination.”

Other initiatives at ISBE include the Cinematic Relief Fund, which aims to empower local communities and support filmmakers and storytellers; the Green Film Making Awards, which rewards studios that leave as little impact on the environment as possible. House of Genius is another innovative forum to bring together film makers and business leaders in a new way of conversation, encouraging supportive input and new creative ideas.

About MCI

MCI is the world’s leading provider of strategic engagement and activation solutions and has been a key driver of innovation in the meetings, events, association and congress industries since 1987. Through creative live experiences and digitisation, globalisation, brand enhancement and content strategies, MCI helps multinational companies and international associations to enhance organisational performance, grow globally, energise communities and drive business results. MCI Middle East a fully owned branch of MCI Group is headquartered in Dubai and has started its operations in 2006.

About Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company

Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company is a strategic international venue development and management company. ADNEC’s venue portfolio includes one of the most modern exhibition centres in the world: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, and the UK capital’s largest exhibition and conference venue, ExCeL London, and Al Ain Convention Centre in Al Ain.

Contacts
Muhammed Aamir
MCI Middle East
www.mci-group.ae
Tel: +971 (4) 311 6300

Emily Cheyne
Head of Corporate Communications
Tel: +971 (0) 2 444 6900
Emily.cheyne@adnec.ae

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