Publishing is big business in the Middle East

One of the leading Middle East's publishing house, Mediaquest Corp, responsible for titles such as Communicate, Trends and Saneou Al Hadath, has reported growth of over 40% in the last year which CEO, Julien Hawari puts down to larger circulation amongst the Middle East's growing population and more business moving to the region.

"If you consider that around 800 new residents are incorporated in Dubai's population each day, apart from those in other emirates, we are catering to a growing readership in the region.

Hawari says this in the wake of Mediaquest Corp. Saneou Al Hadath magazine, read by almost 140,000 business people around the region each month, being rated by IPSOS as the number one among business magazines in the UAE (IPSOS STAT NMA UAE 2007).

"Publications launched in the Middle Eastern region are now better able than ever before to sustain themselves, due to increased advertising revenue being drawn in, on top of a growing readership.

Latest readership figures reveal that Mediaquest Corp. Trends publication now enjoys a circulation of 58,000 regionally.

"Trends reports and analyses events shaping the business, political, and economic attitudes of the Arab Gulf and the Middle East", says Hawari of the title that is also one of the few publication from the MENA region circulated at international events like the World Economic Forum, Crystal awards, Jeddah Economic Forum and other prestigious events.

Communicate, which is read by some 70,000 professionals each month, has filed for audit through BPA.

"Communicate provides news and analysis for professionals in marketing, advertising and PR - all growing sectors within the region. We expect readership figures for Communicate to double within the next three years." Communicate is published in association with Advertising Age in the US.