The Middle East and Africa’s (MEA) audiovisual market, among the fastest-growing in the world, is set to reach $4.63 billion by 2016, according to trade association InfoComm International.

Driven by large infrastructure developments such as the World Expo 2020 in Dubai and the 2022 Fifa World Cup Qatar, the MEA audiovisual market is projected to grow from $2.79 billion in 2012 to $4.63 billion by 2016, posting an annual growth rate of 13 per cent, according to the recently released ‘InfoComm 2014 Global AV Market Definition and Strategy Study’.

The UAE’s audiovisual market is projected to grow from $700 million in 2012 to $1.24 billion in 2016, making it the fastest-growing and second-largest in the Middle East, according to the study.

 “Boosted by Dubai, the Middle East and Africa region offers strong audiovisual market potential, thanks to strong investment, a young online population, and a low penetration of audiovisual adoption,” said Richard Tan, executive director, InfoComm Asia.

Hotels and shopping centres are heavily investing in the audiovisual solutions to enhance the visitor experience, as the region’s retail and hospitality sectors boom. Also the government audiovisual spending is on the rise with infrastructure products such as rail networks and ports, a statement said.

Helping the region’s audiovisual professionals and distributors understand market opportunities is InfoComm MEA 2014, the region’s leading trade exhibition and summit on the audiovisual market, organised by InfoCommAsia and the Dubai World Trade Centre, it said.

Held under the theme of “See. Hear. Touch. The Future of Your Business”, the exhibition returns for a fourth year, from October 13 to 16, at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

InfoComm MEA has built a strong following among IT and audiovisual professionals, including systems integrators, distributors and dealers, as well as end-users, said a statement.

The forthcoming InfoComm MEA 2014 will showcase more than 200 exhibitors from over 30 countries. Attendees can also gain valuable insights on technology updates and industry best practices at the concurrent InfoComm MEA Summit taking place alongside the exhibition, it said. – TradeArabia News Service