Cityscape organisers expect 20,000 less people

United Arab Emirates - Dubai - Oct. 9 - 2008: Close-up of a scale model at Cityscape Dubai. (Jaime Puebla / The National)

Two choice quotes from Mark Goodchild, event director:

"We are hoping for 30,000 this year, where we had nearly 50,000 last year. We don't think there will be as much foot fall, but we are certainly hoping that the quality of visitor will be on a par with last year; we just had a massive increase of foot fall simply because of the climate and real estate excitement that was around last May."

Cityscape last year was unexpectedly frothy, with would-be buyers flipping their tickets in the hallways and guards having to restrain people charging Aldar's stall. One inconsistency with Mr Goodchild's statement: At the time of last Cityscape, they said that 20,000 people had visited the conference over two days, not 50,000...