UAE-Moroccan ties will be strengthened early next year when the leading global Moroccan real estate and lifestyle event visits Abu Dhabi for the first time, as foreign direct investment into the North African country increases by 16% year-on-year in 2012.

SMAP Expo Abu Dhabi, taking place from 24-26 January 2013 at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), will make its first appearance in the Middle East having already established a strong presence in Europe for the last 16 years.

The dedicated three-day event and conference offers a wide platform for UAE based investors to explore opportunities in Moroccan real estate, which attracted a majority share of all Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in 2012.

According to the Moroccan Exchange Authority, 36 per cent of all 2012 FDI into Morocco went toward the country’s burgeoning real estate sector. Additionally, 25 per cent of all FDI for the year came from Arab countries, while the UAE stands as the second largest investor overall on Morocco’s international foreign investors’ list.

It all points toward an increasingly buoyant real estate market in the North African tourism hotspot, and SMAP Expo Abu Dhabi’s organisers are looking to highlight the opportunities at the dedicated real estate show at ADNEC.

Samir El Chammah, CEO of SMAP Group, organisers of SMAP Expo Abu Dhabi, said that the event is ideal for both Emiratis and expatriates looking for a second home, including the 40,000 Moroccan expatriate population currently living in the UAE.

“For more than three decades, Morocco and the UAE have established a very special and strong relationship, and we have witnessed a cultural, political, and economic exchange between the two countries that continues today,” said El Chammah.

“We are aware of the influence that Abu Dhabi and the UAE have in the economic standing of the Middle East, and strategically it is the perfect starting point to showcase the tremendous real estate investment opportunities that Morocco has to offer.

“SMAP Expo Abu Dhabi is a real estate event dedicated to Emiratis and expats, especially the French, British and Moroccans that are willing to have a second residence in Morocco for very competitive prices.”

SMAP Expo Abu Dhabi will be the first stop of a series of regular SMAP Expos across Europe in 2013 showcasing Moroccan real estate investment opportunities. Following its debut in the UAE capital, the showpiece event moves onto regular venues in France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Among the major exhibitors taking part in SMAP Expo Abu Dhabi include Alliance Development, Bab Al Bahr, Casa Marina, Groupe Al Amane, Hivernage Garden Marakech, Holmarcom, Marchika, Marina D’or, Onapar, and Palm Real Estate which will all showcase flagship projects in the most prominent areas in the cities of Marrakesh, Agadir, Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Fez, Tetouan, Nador, and Saidia.

Rabat, the capital of Morocco is the city of honour at the inaugural SMAP Expo Abu Dhabi, with a dedicated space on the exhibition floor reserved for the "Medina" – a showcase of Moroccan lifestyle and commercial activities that reflect the country’s diversity, culture, and heritage. Tourism advice will be available for those interested in discovering the Moroccan world.

Meanwhile, a series of conferences will also highlight everything potential investors need to know about investing in Moroccan real estate, delivered by leading property lawyers and legal experts in the country’s real estate sector.

Visitors at the show will also be treated to a live concert every afternoon, celebrating the friendship of the Moroccan and Emirati people.

SMAP Expo Abu Dhabi is a part of an expansion project that the SMAP Group is undertaking to explore new markets in the Middle East and Europe, which include the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (SMAP Expo Jeddah), and the UK (SMAP Expo London). More information about SMAP Expo Abu Dhabi and the SMAP Group is available at www.smapgroup.com.>

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