AV Magazine
At risk of being overshadowed by its noisy neighbour, the
Emirates are a distinct, exciting and growing market
article here
In the decade up to 2018 rapid high-tech modernising in the
Middle East was focused on Dubai. That spotlight shifted to Saudi Arabia and
its Vision 2030 cultural renaissance, leaving the Emirates in the shade.
“There’s lots going on in KSA but its early days and a lot
of the focus is on future projects for which they still have to build the
infrastructure and the buildings themselves before the AV is installed,” says
Steve Simpson, account and project manager, Datapath. “Meanwhile, the UAE isn’t
standing still. There are opportunities and projects happening especially in
cyber security, education and utilities.”
Johnny Hickman, sales account manager at Matrox Video
agrees. “The UAE pro AV market is thriving, fuelled by investments in
infrastructure, tourism, and technology. Demand for advanced AV and AVoIP is
strong, especially in videowalls for control rooms, entertainment, and
signage.”
The KSA’sVision 2030 poses competition, but UAE’s mature
infrastructure and early tech adoption (eg. Expo 2020) give it a leading edge.
Both markets are set to coexist and complement each other.
Distinct strategic markets
Netgear maintains “distinct strategic focuses” for both markets. Sales chief,
Annamalai Ar reports: “The UAE is characterised by an expectation for
cutting-edge technology implementation, making regular system upgrades
virtually inevitable for businesses seeking to remain competitive.”
He cites rising demand at stadiums and racing tracks for
specialised AV network switches of the type that Netgear sells. “The primary
drivers of AV investment over the next five years will be live events, stadium
developments, government office modernisation, and new infrastructure
initiatives,” he adds. “These sectors represent the cornerstone of future pro
AV growth in the region.”
Brad Maiden, regional General Manager, d&b audiotechnik
calls AV business culture “dynamic, supportive and above all, a lot of fun.
Whilst it is growing and robust, it is also a close-knit community where
competition is fierce, but (mostly) with a good nature.”
“The majority of project processes are tendered and the
level of documentation required to win projects is of a really high standard.
The quality of your brand, work and character really matter in this market.”
He highlights the Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai, which is
installing the full range of d&b’s signature SL-Series “making it one of
the most sonically sophisticated venues in the world.”
Justin Joy, senior sales manager, Peerless-AV judges the
local pro AV market “positive” on the back of “an established, globally
connected business hub with prominent investment opportunities.
“Multinationals are opening more local offices there. As
more major rental companies set up bases in Dubai, this is having a big impact
on UAE’s live events sector which is seeing exponential growth. We continue to
see increased demand for dvLED mounting systems across multiple sectors,
including corporate, hospitality, finance and auditoriums.”
He also observes that the UAE is slightly overshadowed by
the KSA’s ‘Giga Projects’ which major integrators are focusing on. “Having said
that, UAE remains the AV design hub for both UAE and KSA as the top consultants
are Dubai office based,” he says.
UAE's strategic position as a tourism and business hub
The UAE is a “dynamic and forward-thinking environment for pro AV,” according
to Sergio Molho, director of business development at WSDG. “Its openness to
foreign investment and strategic position as a tourism and business hub give it
a unique advantage. While Saudi Arabia is seeing massive, rapid growth, the UAE
maintains its own distinct appeal, driven by its stability and international
connectivity.”
Molho further judges Emirati AV culture to be highly
sophisticated and aspirational. “There’s a strong push to showcase the latest,
boldest, and often most luxurious technology, sometimes prioritising visual
impact over functionality. It is a market that thrives on innovation and
spectacle, with a continual appetite for differentiation. This cultural mindset
drives demand for standout installations and future-forward systems.”
Also calling the pro AV landscape “incredibly vibrant with a
wealth of opportunities” is Rebecca Knight at Disguise highlighting the
ambition across live entertainment, government and enterprise which is driving
significant investment in advanced media server technologies.
“There’s a real appreciation for quality and reliability,”
Knight adds. “AV culture in the UAE has historically been characterised by a
pursuit of excellence and a willingness to embrace technology to deliver
world-class experiences. The scale and ambition of these projects is driving
significant demand not just for pro AV technology, but expert technical and
creative services to help bring these visions to life.”
Simpson has lived and worked in the region since 2003,
working exclusively in AV. He says the market has evolved a lot in that time.
“One thing is for sure - they do not like to pay for services or recurring
licence fees, so if this is your business model it is a tough sell.”
The fact that the company’s Aetria control room product is
made, tested and approved in the UK has helped win high-end security projects.
“This is one aspect of change which definitely helped us get into certain
projects, and was never an issue a few years ago.”
Simpson advises care in posting to social media in the
region “or you could be in trouble subject to the laws that govern this.”
Consequently, billboards and advertising are still big business with many huge
DooH displays, around malls, on the sides of buildings and main roads.
“Lighting or projection mapping on large monuments also plays a big part of
events with large sound staging and amazing content,” he notes.
DooH an expanding category
Joy also finds DooH an expanding category with advertisers “embracing new
technology advances and recognising the importance of targeting communities and
audiences in new urban areas.
“AV projects in UAE are highly organised and key consultants
are more involved than they ever have been in the control of design and
eventual product selection in a project.”
Peerless recently completed a flat-to-wall dvLED video wall
project with an international bank in UAE. It’s part of increased investment in
the banking sector to modernise branches and enhance competitive edge while
improving internal and customer communication.
According to AVIXA, the wider MENA market is expected to
generate $13.5 billion in pro AV revenues this year, growing at 5.4 per cent to
2029. While Giga projects for tourism and sports make headlines, the top two
solution areas are conferencing/collaboration and security/ surveillance,
representing 16 per cent and 15.2 per cent of revenues respectively. Corporate
and media/entertainment are the top vertical markets - at 20.8 per cent and
17.1 per cent of revenues.
“Control rooms remain a strong vertical in the UAE, with
AVoIP streaming now a standard requirement rather than a future aspiration,”
says Hickman. “This shift isn’t limited to mission-critical environments. In
the corporate sector, organisations are increasingly adopting AVoIP to support
a wide range of applications, such as 1G or 10G content distribution for
meeting rooms, lobbies, and breakout areas.”
Broadcasting abilities
Separately, in-house media studios are demanding the ability to broadcast
uncompressed content, requiring higher-bandwidth 25G-capable solutions. “Open
standards like IPMX and SMPTE ST 2110 are gaining traction across these
applications, offering the interoperability, scalability, and performance
needed to support multiple concurrent workflows in a unified AVoIP ecosystem,”
Hickman informs.
“Over the past few years, the region has seen a significant
rise in technical maturity, with more integrators and value-added distributors
(VADs) gaining deep expertise in technologies like AVoIP.
The ability to demonstrate products, providing prospective
customers with a hands-on experience, is very important, and many AV VADs and
integrators have invested heavily in demo facilities and experience centres to
meet this need.
“We see growing interest in sustainable solutions, smart
city integrations, and immersive, interactive deployments driven by AI, IoT,
and automation.”
Growth is expected to continue, driven by scalable IP-based
workflows, reduced hardware needs, and open standards like IPMX, confirms
Hickman.
Hospitality growth
With an extensive coastline and a great climate for most of the year, the UAE
is seeing a large investment in beach bars and clubs, restaurants, hotels and
pop-up leisure events.
“Leisure is a large part of the offering in the UAE and they
do it so well here,” says Maiden. “Service is key. In Dubai in particular, but
also in Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), you will receive some of the best
service and experiences anywhere in the world.”
The Wynn Integrated Resort is driving development in RAK.
Nearby Ajman is increasing its entertainment and leisure sectors. Saadiyat
Island (Abu Dhabi) is expanding with museums and galleries:
“It will be a global cultural destination when it’s
finished,” says Maiden.
According to Simpson, Abu Dhabi hosts the majority of the
large ministries and government projects. Dubai has always been more focused on
tourism but also has a thriving financial centre. “Sharjah, Al Ain, Ajman and
other emirates only have a few projects - mainly in government or utilities -
with the exception or Ras Al Khaimah where they have a good number of high-end
hotels now.”
Dubai remains “the powerhouse for business with a strong
entrepreneurial climate and government initiatives supporting development of
young talent,” reports Joy.
Hickman notes that Dubai leads in entertainment, smart city
projects, and events.
“Abu Dhabi focuses on cultural, education, and government
sectors. Sharjah and Al Ain prioritise heritage and cultural tourism.”
Gateway growth at Al Maktoum International
The ambitious $35 billion expansion of Dubai International Airport (Al Maktoum
International) is set to become the world’s largest airport, handling up to 260
million passengers annually. When finished around 2034 it will feature five
parallel runways and 400 aircraft gates, covering an area of approximately 27
square miles, five times the size of the current Dubai International Airport
(DXB) which has consistently topped the list for the world’s busiest
international airports.
WSDG is leading the acoustics and systems engineering
through its Berlin office working via London-based architect, Leslie Jones
Architecture.
“The scale and vision of this project are unparalleled,
aiming not only to redefine air travel in the region but also to establish a
new global benchmark for airport design and functionality,” says the company’s
director of business development, Sergio Molho.
Sharjah has also begun a $327 million expansion that will
increase the airport’s capacity to 20 million passengers a year.
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