Gitex Shopper kicks off in Dubai

Gitex Shopper and Consumer Electronics Expo, the largest technology retail event in the Middle East, opened on Saturday at Airport Expo Dubai throwing open some of the best deals and exclusive packages from leading players in the industry.

Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, inaugurated the eight-day event.

Following the opening, thousands of visitors flocked to Airport Expo Dubai to grab 'the best deals and Gitex Shopper exclusive packages on a wide variety of gadgets from top exhibitors including Acer, Compu Me, du, Etisalat, and Emax, said the organisers.

The Gitex Shopper runs until October 24 showcasing more than 25,000 products - from laptops and mobile phones, to accessories and hardware -  with exclusive bundled offers which are only available at the show.

Jacky’s and Jumbo, strategic partners for the event, have also increased their retail space at the show to provide exclusive bundled offers, available only at the show.

The product choice will be increased further this year with the return to the show of Plug Ins and Sharaf DG as well as the participation of many new companies including BDL Gulf, Super Speed and Texamedia, the organisers said.

Gitex Shopper visitors will have the exclusive opportunity to preview Windows 7 on new PCs prior to its global launch on October 22.

“The show has become synonymous with great offers on the latest gadgets, electronics and software and this year we are leading the market with the preview of the Windows 7 prior to its global launch,” said Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO, Dubai World Trade Centre, the event organisers.

Microsoft will also host an ‘experience stand’ at Gitex Shopper to showcase how users can take advantage of the powerful new functionality in Windows 7 and Windows Mobile.

More than 160 companies will be participating in the show from eight different countries and this year, over Dh2 million ($ ) worth of prizes will be given away. By spending just Dh500 visitors will be entered for the Gitex Shopper Mega Draw, which is giving away the top prize of a '2010 Chevrolet Camaro,' with other prizes including Xbox consoles, Digital cameras, netbooks, camcorders and LCD TVs.

The Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge will also be a big attraction to the passionate gamers across the region. In partnership with Turtle Entertainment, the international eGaming league will see professional teams battle it out for prizes worth over Dh100,000. Local teams will also compete in regional qualifiers to gain the opportunity to challenge the world’s best.

The show runs from 11am to 10pm daily except Friday when the show will be open from 3pm to 10pm. Tickets are priced at Dh20 and available on www.timeouttickets.com.

School and college students can visit between 11am – 2pm (all days except Friday) and get a special rate of Dh10 per person, per entry (for group visits only of more than 50 students), the DWTC said.