The Score Magazine - Archive December 2016 issue! | Page 49

Prolight + Sound Middle 2016 East wraps up in Dubai attracting 1,607 trade buyers from 50 countries. Exhibitors share
positive feedback at inaugural show as regional entertainment and event industry comes together in Dubai.
The inaugural edition of Prolight + Sound Middle East
concluded in Dubai, with the strong visitor turnout and
positive exhibitor feedback indicating the trade show has a
solid foundation to build upon in the coming years.
The region’s dedicated exhibition for the entertainment,
event, media and creation industries, featured 37 exhibitors
from 11 countries representing more than 120 brands, while
1,607 visitors from 50 countries passed through the buzzing
hall at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition
Centre.
“Prolight + Sound Middle East, although in just its first
edition, seems to be a great success,” said Sanjeev Singh,
Managing Director of Aviss. “We’re happy to be here and
undoubtedly have been busy interacting with potential
customers and with the other players in the market.”
His sentiments were shared by Siamak Naghian, the CEO
of Genelec, a manufacturer of active loudspeaker systems
based in Iisalmi, Finland. “This is the first edition of
Prolight+Sound Middle East and it has surely exceeded our
expectations,” said Naghian.
By all accounts, the show was a major success, with the
Middle East instalment replicating all the key elements that
make the Prolight + Sound global brand of events so popular
all over the world. “We’ve been networking with trade visitors and building
relations with our customers. We’ve also gained a good
insight on the industry and look forward to connecting
further with important people of the industry.”
Product launches, educational seminars, training
programmes, and a live outdoor demonstration area all
shared centre-stage throughout the three-day run of the
annual showcase, while exhibitors enthused ab out the
business leads generated. Organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East, Prolight + Sound
Middle East is the fifth leg of the international network of
Prolight + Sound events worldwide, and arrives as the UAE
leads a regional revival of the professional audio-visual (AV)
market over the coming years.
Nour Assafiri, CEO of Martin Professional Middle East, one
of Prolight + Sound Middle East’s Founding Partners, was
among the headline exhibitors offering a positive outlook:
“This is the first Prolight + Sound event in the Middle East
and it looks to be very promising,” he said. According to analysts Euromonitor International, the UAE’s
professional AV market is estimated to value US$707 million
by 2018, up from the expected US$656.2 million in 2016.
“We’ve had visitors from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and
other international visitors as well. We’ve received good
business leads and the exhibition has been a great platform
for exhibitors to interact and get more industry insights. We
look forward to the next edition.”
Other industry heavyweights at Prolight + Sound Middle
East included Adam Hall, Beyerdynamic, Bose Professional,
Sennheiser, and JBL, which all showcased their newest
technologies in an industry that is constantly on the move.
Aviss, the regional distributor for Bosch Communications
and Panbeam, was another exhibitor happy with the
outcomes when the show came to a close on the 2nd
November 2016.
Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said:
“Exhibition premieres are always very special, and Prolight
+ Sound Middle East punched above its weight in delivering
an exciting show with an electric atmosphere akin to its
older siblings in Frankfurt, China, and Russia.”
“We’ve laid a solid platform with all the key elements that
make this type of event successful, and the support and
positive feedback we’ve received from both visitors and
exhibitors gives us plenty of confidence to continue building
an annual event that will be the focal point of the regional
entertainment, events, media, and creation industries.”
The 2nd edition of Prolight + Sound Middle East will take
place in October 2017. More information is available at: www.
prolightsoundme.com
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