Expo Italia eyes Mediterranean markets

Expo Italia (EIRE) is emphasising real estate opportunities in the Mediterranean region for its 2010 edition. EIRE's director Antonio Intiglietta told PropertyEU that the fair has gained a large following among Italy's major players, and is seeking to widen its focus to the leading institutions and private investors of the Mediterranean.

'We have carried out two important missions in Montenegro and Turkey, which led to the successful expansion of our exhibitor basis in those countries,' said Intiglietta.

The three-day EIRE event, which runs from 8 to 10 June under the curving roof of Massimiliano Fuksas' trade fair in Milan, is expected to attract exhibitors from over 50 countries and nearly 20,000 visitors this year, nearing the levels reached in 2009.

Topics will include the role of retail in city centre regeneration in a round of seminars organised with the Italian ICSC, known as CNCC, as well as the opportunities for investments in the tourism and hospitality sector.

Talking about the fair's future plans, Intiglietta added that EIRE will highlight development projects in emerging markets in Europe and Latin America. Intiglietta: 'We feel that the lack of high-quality product offers good investment opportunities for Western European companies.'

He stressed the importance of real estate in driving the fast-growing economies of Southeastern Europe and Latin America, where the property industry accounts for up to 6% of the gross domestic product.

With recovery in sight for the Italian real estate industry, Intiglietta is calling on local investors and developers to broaden their horizons. 'None of us was left unscathed from the crisis,' he noted. 'We have felt it in our balance sheets and we are now looking with realism to 2010. Today looking beyond our home market is an opportunity to switch to recovery mode.'