Business & Money | Friday 11 January, 2019 2:34 pm |

Preparations have been started to hold “Saudi International franchise Expo 2019” in its second edition In a strategic partnership with “Monshaat”. Scheduled to take place in Riyadh on Feb. 4-6 at Riyadh International conferences and Exhibition Centre, the event is an essential opportunity to identify trademarks with its various activities, exceeding 15 branches for education, tourism, technology, health, and food industries to engage the leading brands to the Saudi market.

The event draws the attention of VIPs, decision-makers, pioneers, regional and international experts by showcasing the Kingdom’s most prominent investment prospects, acquiring 50% of the market value in the Middle East and Africa estimated at $30 billion, of which about $15 billion is just for Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi International Franchise Exhibition is the first one in Saudi Arabia under the shade of franchise industry, whereas a number of international, local and investment consultancy companies will gather under its banner, in what is so-called “franchise “. Franchise is mainly targeting pioneers, businessmen, and businesswomen entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. Believing that small and medium enterprises are the most substantial wheels of economic development, and one of the engines that the investment rudder is driven by.

It includes international participations from the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain Egypt, Jordan , Japan, Canada, USA, China, Spain , Malaysia and France. The exhibition also includes a number of events such as the educational program implied seminars, workshops and consultancy services to support investors.

The exhibition reflects the Kingdom’s plan to end up focusing on oil substances and open new horizons for commercial, global, and investment opportunities by attracting more investors and creating an investment climate. Its value comes in alignment with the kingdom’s orientation to support non-oil fields and to target and develop small and medium Saudi enterprises in consistency with 2030 Vision, supporting entrepreneurship areas. The exhibition will open its doors for visitors, and who are willing to share their trademarks, whether the Ministry of Commerce, the investment Authority or the private sector which will boost the economy.

The exhibition aims at exporting all Saudi brands by granting franchise rights inside and outside the Kingdom., which is expected to be visited by many ambitious Saudi youth investors who are ready to participate in Franchise Exhibition.

Professor Ahmed Al-Rifai, director of the exhibition, said “the Saudi International franchise exhibition is an opportunity to empower local companies and upgrade them as it offers 40 workshops with different titles by explaining the concept of “ franchise”, how can you have a franchise, knowing about its law in Saudi Arabia, how to draft franchise contracts, promoting for it under the light of success and failure stories for Saudi, Gulf and Arab entrepreneurs and pioneers. Moreover, the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises aims to regulate the sector of small and medium enterprises in the KSA and to improve, support, and sponsor it according to the best international practices to increase the productivity of these enterprises and increase their contribution to the GDP from 35% to 20% by 2013.