Business & Money | Wednesday 11 April, 2018 12:17 am |

DEAL (Dubai Entertainment Amusement and Leisure) 2018, the largest amusement and entertainment show in the Middle East has been the barometer for the industry in the Middle East. According to International Expo Consults, the organiser of the show, there has been increased focus and genuine interest in two sections more than the others this year. These sections that have been earmarked by the visitors include the ‘Virtual Reality’ (VR) based games and the ‘Active Entertainment’ based providers.

Talking about the emergence of VR technology in the entertainment segment, Damien Latham, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Entertainment said: “Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are rapidly gaining in popularity around the world, with the immersive technologies transporting users to another world and providing unique and exhilarating experiences that have been the focus of Emaar Entertainment’s VR Park. The park has been specifically designed to cater to the whole family, with rides and experiences for all ages that seek to blur the lines between perception and reality in a game-changing one-of-its-kind attraction that is shaking up the industry”.

In terms of VR, many DEAL 2018 exhibitors have showcased and highlight products using the technology such as AMUSEMENT SERVICES INTERNATIONAL (ASI), Warehouse of games, Kyona among others. In terms of games, ASI will allow the visitors to experience Virtual Rabbids – an operator free VR based attraction which is the first of its kind. Warehouse of games also has showcased various new great games with license names and famous cartoon characters some with VR tech integrated into the game.

Kyona, a first time exhibitor at DEAL 2018, will be highlighting the world premiere of “Koliseum Soccer VR”, which translates one of the most popular games of the 20th century – Foosball into and exhilarating experience, adding surprising actions, emotions, tension and twist to the game. Koliseum Soccer VR merges the physical actions of Foosball with the unique sensations of Virtual Reality. A complete universe surrounds the stadium, where an enthusiastic crowd encourages players that come alive, run, dribble and perform unusual acrobatics. Dedicated to families and the general public rather than seasoned ‘gamers’, Koliseum Soccer VR requires no special skill. Its objective is to offer Malls, Leisure Centers, VR Arcades and other multiplexes a way to significantly increase their flow of visitors.

Sharif Rahman, Chief Executive Officer, International Expo-Consults LLC said, “The other big draw at DEAL 2018 is Active Entertainment based providers. People are becoming more concerned with leading a healthy lifestyle, and extreme and alternative sport activities are more attractive than ever. Entertainment is no longer just about going to the movie theatre – it’s about doing something engaging and exciting. It’s no surprise entertainment centers are looking to diversify, particularly to Active Entertainment. The same holds true for the middle east as we see trampoline parks such as Bounce, Jump Boxx, Hawa Hawa Trampoline Park (La Mer) and Flip Out and other avenues such as rope courses, climbing walls, ziplines and obstacle courses opening all over the country.”

Zlatimira Bancheva, Head of Sales, Walltopia said, “Active Entertainment provides an experience that challenges participants both physically and mentally in a fun and safe environment.  It gives them a sense of achievement, and helps them overcome their fears. And there’s the first key difference to static entertainment – the adrenaline rush. This highly addictive hormone in combination with the completely safe environment creates an incredibly strong relationship between the visitor and the venue. The new concept of Active Entertainment will change the entertainment industry as we know it. It surely has the potential to do so – people of all ages from around the globe are already enjoying it.   With endless design opportunities, great ROI and optimal space utilization, there is still a vast variety of active entertainment attractions yet to be built.”

Walltopia, an exhibitor at DEAL 2018, is one of the world’s leading climbing wall manufacturer with more than 1500 projects in over 50 countries on 6 continents. Stepping on their experience with climbing walls, they decided to develop a variety of active entertainment products that combine sports with fun and a healthy dose of adrenaline. The other active entertainment providers at the exhibition include Rope Courses Inc, Zipline Europe, Ropes Adventure among many others.

Till April 11th 2018, nearly 315 exhibitors from over 40 countries have put forth their latest and most innovative offerings for the visitors of the show. The exhibition has been known to attract thousands of visitors from all over the globe and judging by the crowd in day 1, this year will beat all previous records. DEAL is being held at Hall 1 & Za'abeel Halls 1, 2, 3 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.