Interview with World Shisha Dubai organizing team

Happy to introduce you a part of the team of World Shisha Dubai event: Gary Williams with assist of Rebecca McConnell replyed the questions for our interview for the HookahBattle community.

Hello Gary, can you please tell a few words about yourself? What is your business and experience in the hookah industry and in other areas?

I have enjoyed a varied career in Sales Management having worked in Magazines, Newspapers and the Poster industry before finding my vocation in Exhibitions. I have managed exhibitions in the UK, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Previous shows that I worked on were focused on the Construction. Tobacco ,Vape and Hospitality industry before working on the World Shisha Show.

While being relatively new to the Hookah/Shisha industry it has been a fantastic market to immerse myself in as the Middle East is the Hub for the regions Hookah and Shisha market.

Please tell me about Quartz, what is your story? Do you focus on only smoking-related events (vapes, shisha, maybe cigars as well?)

Headquartered in the UK with more than 50 employees, Quartz has been organising trade events and publishing magazines that support various industries around the world for more than 50 years. The company has a long history of running B2B events for the tobacco industry, with the first event taking place in 1973. Today the company is best known for it’s popular World Shisha, World Tobacco, TabExpo and award-winning World Vape Show brands, that collectively will bring together more than 32,000 tobacco-related professionals around the world over the next 12 months, in locations including Dubai, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Philippines, Paraguay, Poland and the UK. Quartz doesn’t facilitate exhibitions for an industry, our events are drivers of the industries they serve.

When did you start to organize an expo focused on the professionals of the shisha market?

The first World Shisha event was hosted in Dubai in 2022 and in just two editions has become the largest gathering of shisha professionals in the Middle East.

World Shisha Dubai 2023: how many brands – exhibitors took part? How many visitors?

The event hosted 62 exhibitors and attracted over 2800 attendees. 31% of attendees were international visitors, with major delegations welcomed from India, Germany, Iran, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Iraq and Turkey.

Did you do any research of your visitors (like entrance surveys) who they are? How many of them are just shisha lovers and how many business representatives (shops, lounges, distributors e.t.c.) ?

When people register for their entry ticket, we do collect certain information to help guide our research and event development. World Shisha Dubai is a business-to-business event, with the vast majority of visitors being retailers, hospitality venues (hotels, cafes, bars, restaurants, clubs), wholesalers and distributors. Of course we do welcome real shisha enthusiasts and enjoyed visits from several Shisha Masters and social media influencers at the event this year.

What are the benefits of the location of the shisha expo in Dubai compared to shisha expos in Germany, Spain, Russia, USA or Brazil?

Many other shisha expos around the world also attract consumers. But the sheer scale of the business opportunity in the MENA region has led us to focus our attention on attracting business buyers. The global shisha market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10% between 2021-2026 to reach a value of US$4,502 million by 2026. The majority of this growth is expected to be fuelled by the flourishing industry in the MENA region, which accounts for roughly 69% of the global market. In Dubai, sellers can take advantage of a liberal trade regime and well established infrastructure for conducting international business. World Shisha Dubai is now the only major expo in the Middle East and North Africa dedicated to the industry, and offers an exciting commercial gateway to the largest shisha market in the world.

What’s gonna be at the upcoming World Shisha Dubai 2024 in February?

All of the exhibitors from the previous two shows will be joining us again in 2024 as well as more international companies as people continue travelling to shows again. The show will be 25% larger that 2023 as we have a new extension to the venue that allows us to grow in line with demand. German,Chinese,Indonesian and Indian companies are joining the bedrock of Middle Eastern companies at the show.

What kind of support do you have for your exhibitors of Shisha expo in Dubai? Like can you help to ship and store hookah equipment or any other things?

Yes, we have an experienced operations team that helps our exhibitors through every step of the planning process. They work alongside trusted contractors to support our exhibitors with the transportation of products, the design and build of exhibition stands and the registration of staff. Our in-house marketing team also works with our exhibitors to help promote their presence at the event and capitalise on the sales and marketing opportunities that come with being at such an event.

Do you plan to have a stage at the expo for the brand presentations, lecturers, artists ?

It’s unlikely for the 2024 event as the entire venue at Festival Arena in Dubai is already filled with exhibitors. But it’s definitely something we have talked about incorporating for the future – watch this space for future shows!

Do you know something about HookahBattle? Have you ever seen some of our shows?

We love the theatrics that come with a HookahBattle. Many of our exhibitors have Shisha Masters looking after visitors on their stands and it’s always amazing to see what they can do. And the world of flavor’s that exhibitors bring to the show. Exhibitions have to be an experience that changes and evolves to bring visitors and exhibitors back year after year.

Will you be interested to have a HookahBattle show on your upcoming expo?

For sure let’s have that conversation. I have no doubt there would be a large amount of interest from Shisha Masters in the region to be involved in a HookahBattle there.

P.S. For more information about World Shisha Dubia 2024 please follow the next links:

social media links are: 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/86040956

https://www.instagram.com/worldshishadubai/

Registration isn’t yet open for the 2024 event, but people can join their mailing list to receive an invitation at https://worldshishadubai.com/request-an-invitation-to-attend