General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister Defence, inaugurated the 25th edition of GITEX at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre yesterday (25th September) in the presence of thousands of overseas trade visitors, international exhibitors and various local and regional dignitaries.
GITEX 2005 will run up to September 29th, 2005. The 25th edition of the show has registered double-digit growth in the number of participating exhibitors (up 24%) to 1,163 this year. The number of exhibiting companies too has gone up by 12% to 2,724, while country representation has shot up by 49% to 61 countries.
The number of national pavilions in 2005 has gone up (14%) from 21 to 24, while the net area for the event has increased by 10% to touch 30,227 square meters. The growing international presence at the event underlines the increasing recognition of GITEX as an ideal networking platform for the ICT industry.
Widely acclaimed as one of the top IT exhibitions worldwide, GITEX will be held at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre (DICEC) from September 25th to 29th 2005.
With as many as 2,724 companies participating this year, the event will occupy all the halls, the two concourses, the additionally created Hall 1A adjacent to Hall 1 and Hall 4A. The new halls will form part of the Hardware zone.
From 3,038 visitors in 1981, GITEX has grown substantially to attract impressive 116,346 visitors in 2004, a significant compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16%. This year visitor numbers are expected to cross 120,000.
In terms of exhibitor numbers, the growth over the last few years has been considerable. For example, from just 46 exhibitors in 1981, GITEX hosted 939 exhibitors in 2004 with the CAGR working out to 13%. During the 1995-2004 period the CAGR stood at 13%.
Like last year, the event is conveniently demarcated into three separate zones - Hardware, Software and Communications Networking. These dedicated zones will help trade visitors in easily accessing and locating the company stands and pavilions.
In order to further facilitate visitor movement, DWTC has introduced a GITEX Route Map and a Mobile Exhibition Guide. The Mobile Exhibition Guide will assist visitors to easily locate exhibitors and stand whereabouts as well as browse for information on the move. The Route Map will be distributed on-site to all visitors.
The IT industry itself is in an advanced stage of growth in the Middle East, especially the GCC region. IT spending by banks and government sector are expected to get a further boost in the years to come. An IDC report released recently states that small and medium-sized businesses are crucial end-user groups in the growing GCC PC market in 2004. According to the report, SMBs accounted for just fewer than 43% of all shipments and still remain under-penetrated. The SOHO segment was also important, representing nearly 24% of total PC sales in the region.
Participants at GITEX will be eager to strike major deals at the event that is renowned for taking a fair share of annual IT deals in the region. This year however, it is set to rise further as participants and trade visitors are expected from around the world including Europe, North America, Africa, South Asia and the Far East if the pre-registration trend is an indication.
Organizers DWTC, along with the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Avis, leading hoteliers in the emirate, Dubai Transport Corporation, Dubai Municipality and Dubai Police have joined hands to ensure smoother traffic flow during the event. According to a multi-pronged strategy, a special fleet of buses will operate from various vantage points in the city including various city hotels, Dubai Internet City, City Centre and Bur Juman to DICEC. These services will be plying towards the exhibition venue in the morning and from the DICEC to various areas in the city in the evening. Dubai Municipality is also operating special bus routes to DICEC and Airport Expo for GITEX & GITEX Shopper. Valtrans’s will also operate a valet parking service at the venue.
© 2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
