The show joins a strong IIR portfolio of professional sound and lighting trade exhibitions, which includes PALA, Asia’s largest entertainment technology event, which alternates between Singapore and Hong Kong; PALMM Philippines, which attracts over 7,000 specialised trade visitors; and CALM China, which spans over 25,000sq.m, boasts over 400 exhibitors and attracts 17,000 visitors. "Our entertainment technology showcases have been tremendously successful in the Far East and we are now looking to emulate that in the Middle East," said Jessica Sutherland, general manager, IIR Exhibitions & Conferences. "In the past, the Middle East market was too small to justify the investment, but a huge surge in entertainment, tourism and leisure facilities over the past few years has convinced us the region can now sustain this highly specialised exhibition.
"Our research shows that these industries are set for spiralling growth in the Middle East. Major new tourism and leisure facilities are planned and there’s a huge catalogue of investment in entertainment projects resulting from a need to satisfy one of the youngest populations in the world," explained Sutherland. "We anticipate the show will not only serve the direct needs of the Middle East but, via re-export routes, will tap into substantial demand within the Indian Sub-continent and C.I.S."
Accessing the huge, well-established industry databases of PALA, PALMM and CALM, IIR believes it can attract to Dubai manufacturers, distributors, rental companies and installers of ground-breaking technology. "Much of this latest technology will not have been seen in the Middle East before," said Iain McLean, project panager, PALME. "It also means professionals working within the Middle East will no longer have to travel the globe to discover the latest developments in their rapidly evolving industry." Abu Dhabi’s Avolites Middle East, one of the region’s biggest professional company of equipment for the professional lighting sector, was among the first to reserve space for PALME. The company’s managing director Mohammed Shembish feels the show is a long overdue initiative. "It’s about time we had a show like this in the Middle East. This is going to be an extremely important exhibition for us and one which will benefit the entire regional industry."
(Ruth Rossington)
