BAHRAIN’S biggest annual shopping extravaganza opened yesterday, offering wares from 16 countries.
More than 680 exhibitors are taking part in the 34th edition of the nine-day Autumn Fair which is being held at Exhibition World Bahrain in Sakhir.
The exhibition-cum-sale this year features three new pavilions representing Morocco, Thailand and China. Among other countries taking part are Tunisia, Egypt, India, Kuwait and Yemen.
On sale are a wide range of products including textiles, furnishings, food, clothing, electronics, accessories and many more.
One of the regular exhibitors is Zeyad Alamery from Yemen who has been selling traditional Yemeni jewellery for 30 years.
“All of the jewellery is hand-made,” the veteran told the GDN.
He added that he comes back every year to showcase the beauty of Yemeni jewellery to the GCC.
Bahraini Eman Mirza, who is representing her fashion business for her second year, said the fair was an important exposure to small businesses.
“All the clothes we sell here are hand-made in Bahrain,” she said.
“We have more than 100 colours and sizes that customers can choose from.”
“We are supporting Bahraini businesses to give them more exposure locally and internationally,” said Export Bahrain’s senior marketing officer Zainab Matrook.
Many GCC residents visit the fair where they learn about Bahraini businesses, she added.
Various types of honey from Kyrgyzstan, Oman and Yemen are also on sale at the fair.
Ms Aloui with her Tunisian dishes
Ghofrane Aloui, from Tunisia, who has been a vendor at the fair for more than 15 years, is presenting traditional Tunisian dishes.
“I come back every year as the business is great; we get a lot of customers who come to buy my dishes,” she said.
Specialising in handcrafted jewellery is Salah Eldeghady, from Egypt.
The special pearls and stones which she uses is meant to ‘radiate positive energy’ she said.
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