With the Middle East’s ICT growth outpacing the global average, international technology professionals from 150 countries are eyeing emerging market growth at the GITEX Technology Week 2014, running Sunday through Thursday (Oct. 12-16), event organizer Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) announced.

Buoyed by region-wide investment in smart technology spending, the region’s ICT market is set to jump from a projected $15 billion in 2014 to $20 billion in 2020, boosted by infrastructure spending by the government sector — the largest and fastest growing vertical market according to IDC.

The positive trend has spurred global demand for GITEX Technology Week 2014 — “the largest ICT event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA)” — with this year’s event due to host more than 3,700 exhibiting companies from 61 countries and 100,000 visitors from 150 countries.

GITEX Technology Week has also partnered the world’s top ICT leaders to share transformational developments with regional companies across the show’s four knowledge themes: Smart, Cloud, Big Data and Mobility.

Helal Almarri, director general, Dubai’s Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and CEO, DWTC, said: “Under the visionary guidance of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, UAE vice president, prime minister and ruler of Dubai, Dubai is set to transform into a smart city by harnessing technology to create better living conditions and new forms of developments for all people in Dubai and the UAE.”

He said: "GITEX Technology Week is privileged to contribute to this vision by facilitating the public-private partnership in knowledge exchange and sharing of achievements between the world’s leaders in smart innovations and local organisations leading the smart transformation of Dubai.”

With market research company, Gartner, anticipating a growth rate of eight percent in regional ICT spending this year — compared with global growth of just 2.1 percent — Ahmed Al Khaja, senior vice president, venues, DWTC, added: “The significant regional ICT spend demonstrates the region’s aspiration in technology empowerment, as reflected in GITEX’s four knowledge themes — Smart innovation, Cloud Computing, Big Data and Mobility — which are expected to accelerate over coming years in terms of regional spend.”

With Dubai's Smart City roll-out predicted to catalyse an acceleration of smart city initiatives in other GCC countries, GITEX Technology Week will showcase a pioneering app-based Smart Journey Tour featuring more than 25 smart technology leaders, as well as government-led updates on the progress of the Dubai Smart City initiative.

Marwan bin Haider, executive director, planning and development, Dubai Smart Government, said: “The region’s smart city developments demonstrate how GCC governments are increasingly innovating delivery of services to people and businesses. GITEX Technology Week is the leading platform to demonstrate best practices in government services and build support of Dubai Smart Government as one of the world’s most efficient systems architects.”

As the show’s official smart experience partner, Etisalat is collaborating with GITEX Technology Week to provide visitors with a seamless registration process –one aspect of a new On Track for the Smart Experience initiative that aims to evolve the attendee experience by integrating the latest ICT innovations such as smart networking and interactive navigation and marketing.

Abdulla Hashim, senior vice president digital services, Etisalat, added: “GITEX continues to set the regional pace for ICT development, as evidenced by the upgraded smart experiences at this year’ show.

As part of our partnership with DWTC, Etisalat is utilizing the latest cutting-edge technology to ensure show visitors receive an innovative smart-themed experience which reflects the rapid developments across the UAE’s smart technology sphere.”

Elsewhere, the Big Data Conference on Oct. 14 will educate on how Big Data can deliver new insights and enhance ROI in a global Big Data market poised to jump from $3.2 billion in 2013 to $15.1 billion by 2020.

On the same day, Cloud Confex will return as the region’s largest integrated cloud exhibition and conference. With the GCC cloud computing market due to post seven-fold growth and expand at a CAGR of 32.8 percent to reach $668.5 million by 2020, global leaders in data storage and management will present new cloud-based solutions at GITEX.

The Digital Strategies Forum on Oct. 15 will help organizations use mobility to enhance customer interactions.

Global technology company Ericsson, GITEX GulfComms MEA Headline sponsor, will demonstrate how mobility will enhance daily lives in smart cities.

Nawar Atassi, head of new account management for GCC & Pakistan, Ericsson, said: “A new level of mobility will enable the region’s smart cities, which is at the heart of our networked society vision, to positively impact daily lives at home, at work and in cities. People will be able to live more freely while enjoying smarter features everywhere in more sustainable cities — and Dubai is serving as a global benchmark in smart city leadership.”

With GITEX Technology Week presenting strategic investment inroads into the lucrative Middle East and African ICT markets, Africa’s largest economy and population, Nigeria will serve as the show’s official country partner and represent Africa’s high-growth ICT market. Nigeria has 120 million mobile users and 87 percent mobile penetration by population, according to IDC.

Peter Jack, director general, Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency, said: “Nigeria has leapfrogged traditional communications to become an ICT leader. At GITEX, we will showcase our standing as Africa’s gateway for ICT investment opportunities and best practices on how connectivity can make a social impact.”

GITEX Technology Week 2014 will also debut a range of innovative and exciting industry features catering to more than 1,500 delegates and 150 speakers, including theCloud Confex, Big DataConference, and Digital Strategies Forum.

At industry briefings — a key component of this year’s GITEX Trends — speakers will debate tech trends in cutting-edge, sector-specific knowledge platforms, GITEX After 5, the Bloggers Tweetup and Tech Talk Blogger Program which will double attendance from regional and international bloggers.

Expanded event features include the official press reception ShowStoppers, online community ConneXions, live streaming of social media, trending topics and tech news via the Content Hub, the 2nd GITEX Hot Stuff Awards recognizing top gadgets and GITEX TV — the 53-screen in-house broadcast presence.

Enhanced interactive elements include the GSM Exchange Zone, a platform for the mobile product industry, the C-Level Majlis Lounge for senior executive networking, free smart sessions for knowledge-sharing, the ConneXions Lounge and the SME Zone.

In addition to the GITEX Hot Stuff Awards, the GITEXStudent Lab will recognize leading students in the field of technology innovation and connect them with industry professionals, while the 2nd GITEX

Cloud Awards will identity and recognize cloud computing excellence in the Middle East and Africa.

On the fringes of GITEX Technology Week, the second edition of the GSMA Mobile 360 Series: Middle East, a dedicated platform for senior executives from the region’s mobile industry, and the fourth edition of InfoComm MEA, the leading showcase of the latest professional audio-visual communications technology in the Middle East and Africa.