Shoe
& Leather Middle East provides a gateway to a wealthy
and rapidly developing market. The past years have been
seen huge expansion in the economies of the Arabian Gulf
States fuelled by enormous oil and gas revenues and
highly successful moves in to large scale retail,
property and tourism ventures.
Retail space in the Arabian Gulf is growing by over
50% per year and is expected to exceed 11 Million
square metres by the end of 2010. The United Arab
Emirates alone boasts some the largest shopping
malls in the world.
Imports of shoes and leather products across the
Middle East estimated at nearly US$2.7 Billion in
2007 with imports to the Arabian Gulf States alone
being estimated at over US$1.3 Billion
Abu Dhabi currently boasts the highest GDP in the
world at US$46.147. Regional spending on fashion
shoes, sport shoes, bags and other leather products
in the Arabian Gulf is currently forecasted to be
more than US$413 per head per annum. With good
weather, high tax free incomes, and young growing
populations in the Arabian Gulf consumer spending is
amongst the highest per head in world.
Wealthy and fashion conscious national Emirati women
are some of the highest spenders in world on shoes
and bags. In a survey in 2007 over 42% admitted to
spending in excess of US$5000 on shoes and bags
during 12 month period.
