GITEX Technology Week: 35 Years of Leading the Journey Towards a Smart Future in the Middle East and Beyond

Since the humble debut of the Gulf Computer Exhibition in 1981 -- when half of the 3,000 Gulf-based attendees did not even have work computers -- the event has grown to GITEX Technology Week, the largest ICT exhibition in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, and the third largest in the world.

Though the show’s name has changed, one thing has remained constant: being at the forefront of ICT innovation. GITEX has hosted, powered, and partnered with major events, such as ITU Telecom World, GITEX Shopper, GISEC, and IoTX, and has seen thousands of regional product launches that have put Dubai, the UAE, and the region on the global leadership map. GITEX’s conferences, also celebrating 35 years, have driven dialogue on the latest industry trends.

Technology has come a long way from the virtual newspapers and graphics computers at the 1981 show. While some trends have remained – Arabic software, videoconferencing, and Big Data – GITEX continues to have its pulse on innovations such as 3D printing, smart transformation, drones, robotics, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things.

Whichever technology impacts our daily lives over the next 35 years, GITEX will guide business leaders as one of the world’s trendsetting authorities on technology. Join us, thanks to the archives of the Dubai World Trade Centre and Gulf News, on a GITEX journey through the decades…