The fair organisers of MIPIM have announced that the 2011 event will put the Dutch real estate sector in the spotlight with the introduction of Gateway Netherlands, a content, conference and networking exhibition zone dedicated to promoting the country’s property industry to the 18,000 MIPIM delegates expected in Cannes.

The move follows the virtual absence of Dutch exhibitors at this year's event. The four leading Dutch cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht) opted to rent beach pavillions this year in a bid to cut costs and only a handful of major Dutch property companies had stands at the official fair building.

'Dutch companies are major players in the international real estate market and they have been among the 10 best represented countries at MIPIM since its creation in 1990,' said Nadine Castagna, Director of MIPIM. 'In March 2011, Gateway Netherlands will federate the best of the country’s real estate companies and give Dutch delegates the opportunity to present their know-how and projects to international real estate companies and to exchange ideas with major international property players,' she added.

For two days, the Dutch networking area will feature a strong content programme organised in cooperation with three major Dutch real estate publications including PropertyEU's sister publication PropertyNL. It will include keynote addresses by internationally-renowned Dutch property executives, panel discussions and project pitching.

'MIPIM exists to facilitate business and business contacts and we believe Gateway Netherlands will be an outstanding platform for bringing together Dutch and international real estate executives,' Castagna concluded.