Dubai Global Connect (DGC), a one-million-sq-m B2B wholesale market, has announced the official opening of the DGC Visitor Centre, the first building to open officially within the megaproject. 

 

DGC, a key initiative of the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) finalised construction of its Visitor Centre in October last year as per schedule.

 

Designed by Rome-based Studio Fuksas, the building is an architectural masterpiece located in Dubai South, between Al Maktoum Airport and Jebel Ali Port.

 

The rest of the wholesale market is expected to be delivered in phases, with the first phase consisting of 400,000 sq m of dedicated trade facilities including on-site storage, boutique offices, an innovation hub and a smart service centre housing third party service providers.

 

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was conducted by Mohammed Al Shaibani, Managing Director of the ICD in the presence of Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of the Dubai Aviation City Corporation, Majid Al Ghurair, Chairman of the Dubai Chamber.

 

Cindy Morris, CEO of the Dallas Market Centre, with whom DGC signed a strategic alliance in 2020, also flew to Dubai from Dallas to attend the ceremony. Other principals from DGC, the ICD and Dubai South also took part.

 

Al Shaibani said: "Throughout history, Dubai's strategic location forged a rich legacy of commerce for the city, continued global ambition and a decisive role in international trade. DGC was initiated by ICD to build on this history of trade and we look forward to welcoming traders from around to the world to our Visitor Centre from today onwards."

 

DGC is set to welcome visitors to the purpose-built, 4,000-sq-m Visitor Centre where it will showcase the DGC ecosystem of services and products as a catalyst of growth for their business. 

 

DGC has created small-scale markets as part of this unique Visitor Centre experience where an initial selection of traders in Furniture & Living, Food, and Fashion will display their product ranges, he stated.

 

Douraid Zaghouani, COO of ICD and Chairman of DGC, said: "We have always planned for the DGC Visitor Centre to be operational throughout Expo2020, and we are proud to announce its completion as scheduled."

 

"Our vision for this space goes beyond promoting DGC and extends to providing a platform for trade to thrive while we work towards completing the remainder of the DGC wholesale market and surrounding ecosystem," he added.-TradeArabia News Service