Middle East events sector receives a further boost as more major international artists confirm visits to the region

They join a growing list of artists including Destiny's Child, Alicia Keys, Bryan Adams, Lionel Richie, Simply Red and Elton John, who have played for audiences in the Middle East.

But it's not just musical events that are taking place at venues throughout the region. Now well established on the international sporting calendar, events such as F1 in Bahrain, the Dubai World Cup Horse Race, Dubai Desert Classic Golf Tournament, Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship and Rugby 7's, have proven the region's big event credentials. With Qatar staging the Asian Games in Doha later this year, and Formula A1 being staged at Dubai's new state-of-the-art Autodrome, the focus will firmly remain on the Middle East.

The region's event infrastructure is also developing at a fast pace. With the continued growth of the tourist and entertainment sectors, massive investment, both government and private, is being committed to the development of new hotels, leisure resorts and entertainment facilities.

As the number of event locations grows, so too does their quality - hydraulic stages, cutting edge audio visual systems and effects and the very latest technology are becoming the norm in the region. The region's production companies also offer services, expertise and equipment that match any global benchmark. Protec, for example, with its main operating hub in Dubai, has been responsible for many of the region's most high profile events. The company has a stock of the latest, most technologically advanced equipment worth in excess of US$21 million. One of their most recent acquisitions was a real coup for the region - the battery powered floats that were used in the opening ceremony of the Athens Olympics, which now have a new home in Dubai.

The business potential for suppliers of professional sound, light, music, audio visual and systems integration technologies and solutions for the professional entertainment, events and project installation industries continues to grow at a phenomenal rate, as multi-million dollar budgets are committed to ensure the continued success of the region's events.

Against that backdrop, Event 360 at PALME 2006 is a unique, dedicated platform that enables international and regional players from the event industry to establish and build their market share within what is now the world's most lucrative event market for everything from temporary structures to laser shows, conferencing systems to event production.

"Countries throughout the Middle East have clearly demonstrated their capability to professionally develop, organise, fund and stage large scale events." said Darren Brechin, Project Director, PALME. "Exhibitors have been astonished by the size and scope of the market here - encouragingly, all of the signs are that the recent rapid market growth will continue, and as this is a market that has a reputation for the early adoption of cutting-edge technology, the opportunities are virtually limitless."

Exhibitors at Event 360 in 2005 included internationally renowned names such as Lobo Electronics from Germany, who have won a total of 72 ILDA (International Laser Display Association) "Laser Oscars" for outstanding creative achievement. Their feedback on the exhibition was enthusiastic: "We received many positive responses from professionals and visitors - we were able to establish many business contacts with dealers and other potential clients. In our opinion, this is a major exhibition in the area of light and sound, attracting professionals from all over the world." said Lothar Bopp, President of Lobo Electronics GmbH.

Of the 179 exhibitors from 23 countries at PALME 2005, 91% stated that the return on investment made exhibiting a cost benefit, 94% saying that the quality of visitors met or surpassed their expectations. Visitors also found the exhibition of great benefit, with 95% saying that they would recommend it to their colleagues, and equally high percentages either confirming business with existing suppliers or meeting new sources of products and services.

In line with the rapid pace of technology advances in the event industry, a key part of PALME is a series of seminars and master classes delivered by world leading industry experts. "These sessions will help the key people from the regional industry keep right up to date with the services, techniques and products that will shape the region's event industry for years to come." added Brechin.

Organised by IIR Exhibitions Middle East, Event 360 is part of PALME, the Middle East's premier professional sound, light, music, audio visual and systems integration exhibition, and takes place at Dubai International Exhibition Centre from April 23-25, 2006. "Already over 65% sold out with eight months still to go, given the success of this year's show and the great support that we are receiving from the international event industry, we will definitely deliver an even bigger and better Event 360 in 2006." concluded Brechin.