Big 5 Global 2026 Dubai: Dates and Stand Staff for Exhibitors

Hostess scanning a visitor badge at a construction expo stand with stone and steel samples in a daylight hall in Dubai
Cover Page
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29 September 2026
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Quick answer

Big 5 Global 2026 runs from 23 to 26 November 2026 at Dubai World Trade Centre, open 11am to 6pm on day one, 10am to 6pm on days two and three, and 10am to 5pm on the last day. It is trade only and visitors must be 21 or older. The organiser announces more than 65,000 attendees, 1,800 exhibitors and 55,000 products for 2026; for scale, the Dubai Media Office reported more than 85,000 attendees from over 165 countries at the 2025 edition.

Early bird visitor tickets cost AED 100 until 15 October, then AED 250, according to the official ticket page. For exhibitors, the stand team decides what the four days return: hostesses who greet in the buyers' languages, one person whose only job is scanning badges, demonstrators for the product, and same day photo and video. Book that team by mid October.

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Cover Page Agency

Cover Page Agency · Est. 2015

Italy · UAE · France

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Updated 29 September 2026

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Every November the construction world comes to Dubai. Contractors, developers, architects and government buyers walk the halls of Dubai World Trade Centre for four days, looking at stone, steel, concrete, glass, cooling systems and machines. For an exhibitor, that is thousands of conversations that start either on your stand or on the one next to it.

This guide gives visitors the essentials first: dates, the venue on a map, the specialised events, tickets and the programme. Then it tells the story of the show and the exhibitors who stood out, and closes with what exhibitors ask us every season: what a stand costs, which staff roles pay back, how many people a stand needs, how to scan badges within the law, how to get content out the same day, and when to book.

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Big 5 Global 2026 dates, venue and opening hours

According to the official ticket page, Big 5 Global 2026 takes place from 23 to 26 November 2026 at Dubai World Trade Centre: 11am to 6pm on Monday 23 November, 10am to 6pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, and 10am to 5pm on Thursday 26 November. Every ticket covers all four days, visitors under 21 are not admitted even with a ticket, and tickets are not refunded.

The venue's own listing for The Big 5 2026 spreads the show across Exhibition Plaza, Halls 1 to 8, Sheikh Maktoum Hall, Sheikh Rashid Hall, Sheikh Saeed Halls 1 to 3, the Trade Centre Arena and Za'abeel Halls 1 to 3, marks it trade only, and names dmg events as organiser. On the visitor page, the organiser announces 65,000 plus attendees, 1,800 plus exhibitors, 55,000 products, 450 plus speakers and 165 plus countries for this edition.

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Where Big 5 Global happens: Dubai World Trade Centre on a map

Big 5 Global is one show in one venue, which makes planning simpler than at the two venue fairs. Dubai World Trade Centre sits on Sheikh Zayed Road between Downtown and the old city, and its contact page places it at coordinates 25.2230, 55.2885, with a downloadable parking and accessibility map. Stand teams should plan for metro travel: World Trade Centre Station on the Red Line stops at the venue, and on build up and opening days the roads around it are busy.

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Big 5 Global 2026 venue at a glance

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC)

Sheikh Zayed Road, Trade Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Coordinates 25.2230, 55.2885. Metro: World Trade Centre Station on the Dubai Metro Red Line. Parking on site; the venue publishes a parking and accessibility map.

Halls used in 2026: Exhibition Plaza, Halls 1 to 8, Sheikh Maktoum Hall, Sheikh Rashid Hall, Sheikh Saeed Halls 1 to 3, Trade Centre Arena, Za'abeel Halls 1 to 3. Summits run in the Al Multaqa Ballroom.

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The map below shows the venue and its metro stop on Sheikh Zayed Road.

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Pin: Dubai World Trade Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road, next to World Trade Centre metro station on the Red Line. Arrive by metro to skip the show day traffic, or by taxi to the Exhibition Plaza entrance.

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Specialised events at Big 5 Global 2026, sector by sector

Big 5 Global groups its floor into co located events that share one badge. The organiser's co located events page lists seven for 2026, Heavy, Totally Concrete, Marble and Stone World, Urban Design and Landscape, HVACR World, GeoWorld and Future FM, across 17 product sectors, alongside two features inside the main show: Startup City and Digital Construction World. Figures below come from each event's own page; HVACR World and Digital Construction World figures are from 2025.

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Big 5 Global 2026 specialised events

EventWhat you findScale, per the organiserStaff and content that fit
HeavyPlant machinery, vehicles, quarrying, lifting and site equipment240+ exhibitors, 12,000+ interested attendees, 20+ countriesDemonstrators who can run a machine walkthrough, a greeter in the aisle
Totally ConcretePrecast, cement, formwork, scaffolding, ready mix300+ exhibitors, 15,000+ interested attendees, 25+ countriesTechnical hosts who qualify contractors, product close ups
Marble and Stone WorldFinished stone, stone design, processing and machinery60+ exhibitors, 7,500+ interested attendees, 13+ countriesHostesses who hand architects to the right sales lead, texture photography
HVACR WorldCooling, heating, ventilation, refrigeration, indoor air150+ exhibitors from 10 countries in 2025, Za'abeel Halls 4 to 6Demonstrators for live units, interview video with engineers
GeoWorldBIM, GIS, digital twins, surveying, 3D mapping50+ exhibitors, 10,000+ attendees, Hall 4One sharp host per demo screen, screen recording plus stand video
Future FMFacilities management, digital FM, net zero operations50+ exhibitors, 10,000+ attendeesMeeting hosts who book appointments
Urban Design and LandscapeOutdoor spaces, street furniture, landscape productsFigures not publishedGreeters, lifestyle photography of the installation
Startup CityConTech, PropTech, InfraTech and EarthTech startups70+ exhibitors, 18+ countriesA host who books investor meetings, a pitch video filmed on the day
Digital Construction WorldAI, construction software, robotics, smart buildings17+ exhibitor companies in 2025, including Nemetschek and RIB SoftwareDemo hosts, short explainer reels

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The organiser's Heavy page quotes a BAUER Maschinen executive on his tenth time exhibiting: the event gives direct exposure to the region's construction market and the right audience to show equipment. HVACR World, launched as its own show in 2025 with endorsement from AHRI and the ASHRAE Falcon Chapter, brought brands such as Johnson Controls, Honeywell, Bosch and Hitachi. Whatever your sector, we brief stand staff on it and film content that fits it.

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How to get Big 5 Global 2026 tickets

Big 5 Global sells four ticket types on its official ticket page, all valid for the four show days:

  1. Visitor, AED 100 early bird, then AED 250. Exhibition access to every co located event on all days, plus the CPD certified Big 5 Talks.
  2. Delegate, AED 1,750 early bird, then AED 2,750. Everything in the visitor ticket, plus one leadership summit of your choice and the event app.
  3. VIP Delegate, AED 3,000 early bird, then AED 4,500. All leadership summits, the VIP lounge and the Elite Executive Mixer.
  4. ASHRAE trainings, AED 610 early bird, then AED 835. Specialist HVACR training with full exhibition access.
  5. Check the rules. The early bird rate ends on 15 October 2026, tickets are not refunded, and visitors under 21 are not admitted even with a ticket.

Buy on the official Big 5 Global ticket page. Free tickets: we found no published free visitor route for 2026. If someone offers you a free pass, confirm it with the organiser at info@big5global.com before you travel.

Flying in. Emirates is the official airline partner: the organiser publishes promotion code EVE6BG6, with 10 percent off Flex and Flex Plus return fares and 5 percent off Saver fares for travel between 18 November and 11 December 2026. Hotels are booked through the organiser's hotels page, which runs an EventBeds widget.

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Summits, awards and features on the programme

The badge also opens a full programme. According to the organiser, the Big 5 Global Leaders' Summit opens the week on 23 November in the Al Multaqa Ballroom, with Expo City's chief development officer Ahmed Al Khatib and Khatib and Alami's chairman Najib Khatib among the speakers. The Big 5 FutureTech Summit closes it on 26 November in the same ballroom, on AI, connected assets and how construction firms actually implement technology.

  • Impact Trail. A route that leads buyers and specifiers to sustainable products on the floor, free for exhibitors who qualify; applications close on 16 October 2026.
  • Big 5 Global Impact Awards. In 2024 the fourth edition crowned winners in 17 categories, among them ROSHN Group for its HIMAM workforce initiative and Msheireb Properties for Msheireb Downtown Doha.
  • Exhibitor Recognition Awards. Prizes for exhibitors who drive visitor engagement or showcase sustainable solutions on the Impact Trail.
  • Startup City Pitch Competition. Won in 2025 by Opteam, judged by investors including Antler and Oraseya Capital.

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What Big 5 Global is for: the history of the show

Big 5 exists to put suppliers of building products in front of the people who build the region: contractors, developers, consultants and government project owners. The organiser's about page says it began in 1979, when a small group of suppliers and stakeholders came together in Dubai, and that it has grown with the Middle East, Africa and South Asia ever since. Today dmg events runs Big 5 shows in nine regions, from Saudi Arabia and Qatar to Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.

The first edition was modest. In a 40th anniversary feature in Gulf News, the organiser recalled that the 1979 show took place under a tent alongside Dubai Creek with three halls, the same year Jebel Ali Port opened. By 2001 it welcomed 1,000 exhibiting companies, and the 2019 anniversary edition drew more than 68,000 professionals and 2,200 exhibitors from 134 nations. Gulf Construction Online reported that the 2024 edition expected more than 2,700 exhibitors, and Zawya's report on the 2025 close counted 2,800. From a tent on the Creek to the great halls of Sheikh Zayed Road, it is the story of Dubai's skyline told in trade stands.

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Big 5 over time

EditionVenueScale
1979, first editionUnder a tent beside Dubai CreekThree halls: ventilation and air conditioning, water treatment, building materials
2001Dubai World Trade Centre1,000 exhibiting companies for the first time
2019, 40th editionDubai World Trade Centre2,200 exhibitors, 68,000+ professionals, 134 nations
2024, 45th editionDubai World Trade Centre2,700+ exhibitors expected, 100,000+ attendees targeted
2025, 46th editionDubai World Trade Centre2,800 exhibitors, 85,000+ attendees, 165+ countries
2026, 23 to 26 NovemberDubai World Trade Centre1,800+ exhibitors, 65,000+ attendees announced

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The 2026 figures are the organiser's own announcement for this edition; earlier figures are reported results or pre show targets, as labelled.

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Exhibitors that stood out at recent editions

The Dubai Media Office's closing report on the 2025 edition describes a show of deals and launches, and names the brands that used it well:

  • Würth Professional Solutions arrived with a new Middle East strategy, ran live product demonstrations and an experiential stand with music, games and consultations, and spoke at the Leaders' Summit. The organiser's Würth case study reports an MoU signed during the show, direct orders on the floor and a pipeline of qualified leads, and Würth won an Exhibitor Recognition Award for driving visitor engagement.
  • Rheem Middle East launched its Centurion heating and cooling system, with up to 84 percent energy savings.
  • METER Technology signed an MoU with Geospatial Ventures on geospatial monitoring tools.
  • GIM unveiled Black and Gold, graphene reinforced concrete blocks with a 24 karat gold finish, and PlanRadar showed its AI powered SiteView 360, as The Week reported from the opening day.

The pattern is clear. The stands that won arrived with one clear message, showed the product working, and had people on the stand whose job was to invite, qualify and follow up.

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Book your stand at Big 5 Global 2026

A stand at Big 5 Global pays back fastest for companies that need project buyers more than visibility:

  • Manufacturers entering the region. The organiser's why exhibit page says 77 percent of attendees are decision makers and 89 percent come to meet new suppliers.
  • Brands looking for distributors. In the organiser's exhibitor survey, 89 percent of exhibitors found distributors or channel partners.
  • Country pavilions. Trade agencies bringing groups of producers under one flag, as Germany, Italy, India, Austria and Pakistan did in 2025 according to the Dubai Media Office's pre show release, with more than 100 Italian companies.
  • Startups. Startup City places ConTech and PropTech startups in front of investors, developers and government leaders.
  • Brands with sustainable products. The Impact Trail routes specifiers to them at no extra cost.

What a stand costs. Big 5 Global does not publish space rates; you request a quote through the stand booking form. For the build, Stand Creators publishes Dubai ranges per square metre in its 2025 guide:

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Big 5 Global stand budget, planning ranges in AED

ItemTypical rangeSource
Space, raw or shell schemeQuoted by the organiserStand booking request, Big 5 Global
Shell scheme build and graphicsAED 850 to 1,200 per sqmStand Creators, 2025 guide
Custom built standAED 1,500 to 2,500 per sqmStand Creators, 2025 guide
Double deck standAED 2,000 to 3,000 per sqmStand Creators, 2025 guide
Example: 36 sqm custom stand, build onlyAbout AED 54,000 to 90,000Our arithmetic on the ranges above
Stand staff: hostesses, scanners, demonstrators, team leaderOn requestCover Page Agency
Photo, video and on spot editingOn requestCover Page Agency

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To book, start on the official Big 5 Global stand booking request, and download the post show report from the organiser's site to see who visited last year. Book space first and people second, but not long after.

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The stand staff roles construction exhibitors book

Your engineers and sales managers are the reason buyers stay. Stand staff are the reason buyers stop. As a staffing agency in Dubai since 2015, these are the roles construction exhibitors book with us most:

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Stand staff roles at a construction show

RoleWhat they doWhere it pays back
Stand hostess or greeterWelcomes, qualifies in 30 seconds, hands the visitor to the right engineer or sales leadEvery stand, from the first hour
Multilingual greeterArabic, Hindi or Urdu, French, Russian, Mandarin or Italian, matched to your marketsCountry pavilions, export stands
Badge scannerScans badges in the official app, tags each lead by interest and urgencyAny stand that measures return
Product demonstratorRuns the same demo at the same standard, fifty times a dayMachinery, HVAC, tools, smart building tech
Promoter in the aisleInvites traffic towards a timed demo or a giveawayLarge stands, product launches
Team leaderRuns the roster, breaks and briefings, reports leads each eveningFrom five stand staff

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One person, one job. A hostess who is also scanning, pouring coffee and guarding the brochures does all four badly. Split the jobs and each is done well.

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Stand staff for Big 5 Global 2026

Hostesses, greeters, scanners and demonstrators for your stand.

Tell us your hall, stand size and target markets. We send a roster and a quote within two business hours, with a team leader from five staff.

Prefer WhatsApp? Message us at +971 52 401 8887.

BOOK YOUR STAFF

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How many stand staff you need for your stand size

Pure Exhibits recommends one person for every 50 to 75 square feet of stand at peak times, which is roughly one per 5 to 7 square metres, and shifts of no more than three to four hours without a real break. Translated to a show open about 31 hours over four days, this is the starting point we use:

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Stand staff by stand size, at peak

Stand sizeStand staff at peakTypical mix
Shell scheme, 9 to 18 sqm2 to 31 greeter who also scans, your sales lead
Space only, 18 to 36 sqm3 to 51 or 2 greeters, 1 scanner, 1 demonstrator
Space only, 36 to 100 sqm6 to 10Greeters in two languages, 2 scanners, demonstrators, a team leader
Island or pavilion, 100 sqm plus10 plusGreeters per entrance, a scanning team, demonstrators per product, a team leader

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Add one relief person for every four on the stand so breaks never leave a gap. Monday opens at 11am, but your team should be in place and briefed by 10am.

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Badge scanning under UAE data law

Scanning a badge is collecting personal data. The UAE Government portal explains that Federal Decree Law 45 of 2021 on personal data protection prohibits processing personal data without the owner's consent, except in limited cases, and gives people the right to correct it and to restrict its processing.

Big 5 Global builds lead retrieval into its official event app: according to the organiser's guide, exhibitors activate the app, add their team under My Team, scan the QR code on each attendee badge and export leads as CSV or XLSX. Three habits on the stand keep it clean: scan only with the official app on a device you control, say why you are scanning, and note the project in one line so the follow up is relevant. This is general information, not legal advice.

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Same day photo and video from your stand

For four days Big 5 Global is one of the most posted events in Dubai. The organiser, the media, speakers and exhibitors all publish in real time, and brands that post while the show is running ride that wave on social and on the web. Content that arrives a week later arrives after the conversation has moved on.

That is why Cover Page Agency has made on spot editing the standard. Our photographer shoots your stand before doors open, your demos and your meetings, and within the hour you receive edited, print quality photos at 300 ppi, ready for LinkedIn, your website and the trade press. Short reels follow the same day. See our photo and video packages for brands.

The kit is cinema grade. Video runs on the Sony FX5, Sony's newest cinema camera, which records 16 bit X-OCN RAW internally, films 5K open gate in 3:2 with more than 15 stops of latitude and base ISOs of 800, 4000 and 12800, and captures slow motion up to 120 fps in 4K for a turning drill bit or a pour of concrete. Stills come from the 50.1 megapixel Sony A1, sharp enough for a trade magazine cover.

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Content at Big 5 Global

Edited photos within the hour, reels the same day.

Print quality 300 ppi photos for socials and press, filmed by the same agency that staffs your stand.

SEE PACKAGES AND PRICES

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Behind the Cover, by invitation

Our seasonal portfolio, so you can meet our team through its work.

REQUEST THE PORTFOLIO

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When to book your Big 5 Global team

November is one of the busiest months of the Dubai show calendar, and the best multilingual hostesses and demonstrators are booked early; our peak dates guide shows how the season fills. Working back from 23 November:

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Booking timeline to Big 5 Global 2026

WhenWhat happens
Now to 15 OctoberShare stand size, hall, markets and roles; receive a roster and quote. Visitor early bird ends 15 October
16 OctoberImpact Trail applications close
Late OctoberProfiles and languages approved, uniforms agreed
Early NovemberProduct briefing with your technical team, lead capture method set
Build up daysWalk the stand, rehearse the demo, test the scanners; dates are in your exhibitor manual
23 to 26 NovemberTeam leader briefing every morning, lead report every evening
After the showLead list handed over, content delivered, debrief for next year

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Since 2015 we have staffed stands, launches and activations in Dubai with hostesses, promoters, models and demonstrators, each on a valid UAE permit and briefed on the brand before the first visitor arrives. For a luxury house in 2025 we placed 150 staff across three locations in one week.

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What we see on the floor

What we see on the floor, by Lukas Götze

At a construction show the best stands are often the quietest ones. The product is heavy, the buyers are serious, and nobody wants to be chased down the aisle. What works is a calm greeter who asks one good question: what are you building? From that answer she knows whether to call the engineer, the export manager or simply hand over the catalogue.

The stands that lose leads are the ones where everyone does everything. The scanner is on a coffee run, the demonstrator is on a break, the sales lead is stuck with a visitor who only wanted a pen. One person, one job, and a team leader who watches the flow: that is the difference we see every year.

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Big 5 Global, 23 to 26 November 2026

Tell us the hall, the stand size and the roles.

We reply within two business hours with a roster and a quote. A manager on call on every booking, a team leader from five staff.

Prefer WhatsApp? Message us at +971 52 401 8887.

BOOK YOUR STAFF

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The author

Lukas Götze, Marketing Director Cover Page Agency

Lukas Götze

Marketing Director, Cover Page Agency

Over 1,000 activations across Dubai, Milan and Lyon since 2015. Turns events into brand moments with professional content and verified results.

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Sources

Official and established sources

Newer and specialist voices

Stand staff numbers by size and the 36 sqm example are Cover Page estimates built on the published ranges above. Show dates, prices and hours are from the organiser and may change; check big5global.com before you travel. This article is general information, not legal advice.

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FAQ

When is Big 5 Global 2026 in Dubai?

Big 5 Global 2026 runs from 23 to 26 November 2026 at Dubai World Trade Centre, open 11am to 6pm on day one, 10am to 6pm on days two and three and 10am to 5pm on the final day.

What is the Big 5 show in Dubai?

Big 5 Global is the construction industry show founded in Dubai in 1979 and organised by dmg events, with co located events for machinery, concrete, stone, HVACR, landscape, geospatial and facilities management.

How much is a ticket for Big 5 Global 2026?

The official ticket page lists a visitor ticket at AED 100 early bird until 15 October 2026, then AED 250. Delegate tickets start at AED 1,750 early bird, VIP Delegate at AED 3,000.

Is Big 5 Global open to the public?

No. It is a trade only event for construction and facility management professionals, and visitors under 21 are not admitted, even with a ticket.

Who exhibits at Big 5 Global?

Manufacturers, suppliers and distributors of construction materials, machinery, building services and technology, plus country pavilions. The organiser announces more than 1,800 exhibitors for 2026.

How many staff do I need on a Big 5 Global stand?

As a starting point, 2 to 3 people on a shell scheme stand, 3 to 5 on 18 to 36 square metres, 6 to 10 up to 100 square metres and more for islands, plus one relief person for every four.

Can I hire hostesses for a Big 5 Global stand?

Yes. Cover Page supplies briefed stand hostesses, multilingual greeters, badge scanners, demonstrators, team leaders and same day photo and video in Dubai. Book by mid October.

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Event staffing in Dubai since 2015

Your stand, fully staffed for Big 5 Global.

Hostesses, multilingual greeters, badge scanners, demonstrators and stand photo and video. WhatsApp +971 52 401 8887.

BOOK YOUR STAFF
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