There seems to be a confusion in the Saudi market about the timing of Dubai’s annual GITEX ICT trade show. Because the event was held in November last year, many in the Saudi IT industry are unaware that the show actually begins at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) on Sept. 8. That is also the first day of school in the Kingdom and the week before Ramadan. In discussions with some of the most senior IT people in Saudi Arabia, it seems that they have as yet made no plans to attend the show — thinking that it was still months away.
The organizers, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), have been remarkably low key this year in promoting the event. IT professionals stated that they have been deleting incoming e-mails with “GITEX” in the subject line believing them to be useless spam and that they had made a mental note to deal with GITEX reservations after returning from their summer vacations. That will be difficult as Dubai’s hotels are already fully booked for the period and all flights are nearly full as well.
The show’s organizers have made changes in the GITEX setup, promoting it as “GITEX Technology Week.” Taking place from Sept. 8-12, 2007, GITEX Technology Week will consist of several trade events, including GITEX Business Solutions, GULFCOMMS and Consumer Electronics. Pre-register for these exhibitions individually at www.gitex.com.
“In response to the needs of our international community of exhibitors, we have decided to increase the level of specialization and focus within the event, to ensure that it continues to contribute to participants’ long-term success,” said Helal Saeed Al-Marri, DG, DWTC.
GITEX Business solutions will bring together major network, security, office technologies and IT solutions. GULFCOMMS will aim to promote telecommunications including mobile, fixed, IP and satellite technology providers. The Consumer Electronics event will focus on consumer electronics, IT Systems, Components and Peripherals. Complementing the exhibition will be a host of new product launches, interactive demonstrations and a consumer electronic product fashion show.
IT consumers in the Kingdom who won’t be attending the trade show should still note that GITEX Shopper will be held from Sept. 6-12, 2007 at the Airport Expo Dubai. Anyone planning to purchase a PC should delay in doing so until that time. Every year all the major IT vendors reduce their PC prices for the GITEX shopper and those price reductions are passed on to all channel distributors across the region, including those in the Kingdom. In past years desktop and notebook prices have been reduced by hundreds of riyals and special bundled products have been offered during the event. So if you can, wait till September to get the best deal on new IT hardware and consumer electronics.