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City to have new rules for outdoor advertising

DUBAI - Dubai Municipality is coming up with new rules and regulations for outdoor advertising in three months' time from now, a senior official from the department said yesterday.

Eng. Mohammed Al Noori, head of advertisement section at Dubai Municipality, told this correspondent after the official opening of the seventh edition of Sign and Graphic Imaging Middle East 2005 exhibition: “Rules and regulations for the outdoor advertising were adopted in 1986 and have not changed since then, while new types of the outdoor advertisement have appeared in the market.”

He also said that the department recorded 100 per cent increase in the number of applications for the outdoor advertisement last year over 2003, adding that the number is expected to further grow this year. “In near future we will see better outdoor signs,” he said.

According to Obeid Al Tayer, President of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who inaugurated the show at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre, the advertising industry is estimated at $2 billion in the Gulf region, with the UAE being the second largest market for this business. He said: “Last year was good for the industry and they look for a successful 2005.”

This buoyant industry envisages a minimum growth rate of 22 per cent per annum in the Middle East fuelled by the impending retail boom, according to Abdul Rahman Falaknaz, president of International Expo Consults, the show organisers.

The entry of new brands from every facet of industry from around the world is accelerating the insatiable demand for more and more outdoor advertising opportunities in the region, which already leads on a ‘retail space per capita’ basis, he said, adding that the industry is clearly on a roll.

This year’s edition of Sign and Graphic Imaging Middle East sets the tone for the industry that has displayed spectacular growth and performance over the years. The show has demonstrated a record turn out of 200 companies from over 27 countries, while the visitor turnout is expected to surpass the 12,000 benchmark last year.