VisionPlus Se Asia

for information regarding market trends and upcoming technologies in eyewear. Local exhibitions cannot offer these, at the same level that VisionPlus EXPO could, and travelling to Europe or even China is not always feasible with language and culture being key barriers. Dubai gives a genuine east- meets-west advantage to the exhibitors as well as the buyers. We have planned an eight-month-long digital media campaign targeting opticians from 50 countries. Realistically speaking, I wouldn’t be surprised if we exceeded that number. ZA : The exhibition is timed to coincide with the EXPO Dubai 2020, and we’re expecting that the world would be flocking to Dubai. There are a multitude of events planned by the UAE government around the EXPO 2020. This will be a huge factor for us. I’m sure opticians would consider having an extended business and pleasure trip in Dubai. The initial responses too have been encouraging. We have opticians from as far as Maldives, Morocco and India pre-registering already, and we’ve barely begun our campaigns. VP : That’s great to hear Zahra. We wish you all the best. And hope the exhibitors and buyers take full advantage of VisionPlus EXPO 2021. opportunities to the existing buyers and giving them more variety to choose from. VP : Your VP Awards have had quite a participation in the past years. Do you expect this to grow further with VisionPlus EXPO? JB : The VP Awards has been a much anticipated event since its first Middle East edition in 2014. By bringing more brands to participate in the exhibition, we’re expecting a spike in the participation in the Awards too. This would allow participating brands to get more visibility prior to the exhibition, and I’m sure it will add great value to the exhibitors. VP : Any other features planned at the exhibition? ZA : Yes. We intend to have training sessions and conferences organised for visitors with VP Academy. This would give visiting opticians a deeper understanding of selling techniques and inventory management. It would also give them an opportunity to upgrade their technical knowledge. JB : We also have a two- month long Global Eyewear Shopping Festival planned in Dubai, following the VisionPlus EXPO, to boost local eyewear retail. But it’s still at a planning stage, so I can’t divulge much yet. VP : Your website mentions something about an OEM Pavilion. What is this? JB : This is a special demarcated area planned for Private Label Manufacturers and Raw Material suppliers from Asian countries as well as other regions. Participating at the VisionPlus EXPO in Dubai, gives these companies a clear positioning as companies that are serious about meeting international standards in manufacturing. It also indicates their commitment to meeting service standards to match the global customers expectations. I believe this will be another key draw for buyers, since it’s not easy to identify these factors otherwise. VP : You claim to be getting visitors from 50 countries? How will you manage to do that? Is it realistic? JB : As you already know, VisionPlus magazine itself enjoys readership in over 20 countries. We know from experience that opticians from these countries are always looking for ways to differentiate themselves. Also, they have a great thirst ZAHRA AMIR SHOW DIRECTOR, VISIONPLUS EXPO 17 VISION PLUS SE ASIA EDITION