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Dubai – Airports across the Middle East, one of the fastest growing aviation sectors in the world, are driving investment to the tune of millions of dollars toward airport technology with a view to enhancing security and ensuring a seamless passenger experience.

The region, led by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is expected to record over 4.8 per cent annual growth in passenger numbers over the next 20 years compared to a global average of 3.7 per cent, according to International Air Transport Association (IATA), which increases the challenge of ensuring that the growing number of passengers are handled efficiently without compromising on security.

Mohammed Ahli, Director General, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), said: ‘Our two international airports are gearing up to serve up to 146 million passengers by 2025 and there will be a corresponding huge expansion in related fields in the aviation sector. This necessitates the need for ensuring safety and security for all stakeholders, passengers, airlines and the general public. We are fully prepared to face this challenge by adopting advanced technology and deploying trained personnel for the job. We understand that aviation security is not, and should not be, of a transit nature, but a constantly evolving requirement. It’s crucial to adopt innovative technology, improve security and streamline efficiencies to offer a seamless passenger travel experience.’ 

Increase in passenger numbers and the increased need for security reforms amid unrest in many parts of the world, have increased the need for security reforms and there is major focus on investment toward security. Globally, the airport security market size is set to exceed USD 12.8 billion by 2023, according to a new research report by Global Market Insights. According to the report, rising safety and passenger protection concerns, growing air traffic with the increasing air travelers owing to the time related factors and rising disposable income are expected to stimulate the global airport security market size over the forecast period. Enhancement of security technology that offers operators with better situational awareness, greater efficiency and increased security is anticipated to contribute to the airport security market size, the report says.

Another report by Visiongain assesses that the airport security market will reach $9,336m in 2016, driven by growth in the commercial air transport market and the need to process increasing passenger numbers without negatively impacting upon the quality of security. 

The UAE has been driving the growth in the Middle East and is uniquely placed to lead change in aviation security, according to experts.

Angela Gittens, Director General, Airport Councils International (ACI), said: ‘The Middle East has a unique opportunity, due to its location and rapid growth, to lead change and innovation in regards to security. Dubai International Airport for one, the next-generation travel hub, is implementing innovative practices such as automatic passenger identification and a seamless passenger journey.’

The 17th edition of the Airport Show, to be held in Dubai from May 15-17, will bring in world-leading companies to highlight the latest safety & security solutions and products. The Airport Show, with a participation from over 300 leading companies from around the world, will have a dedicated Security zone, which will highlight cutting edge technologies from around the world.

Daniyal Qureshi, Group Exhibitions Director, Reed Exhibitions Middle East, said: ‘Airports in the Middle East have been witnessing massive investments and are on the forefront when it comes to adopting the latest smart technologies. From using robotics to biometrics, the Middle East and UAE, in particular, are adopting technologies that are significantly impactful when it comes to ensuring security and enhancing the passenger experience. With the focus on security rising worldwide, these technologies are highly relevant. The Airport Show provides an opportunity to explore the latest technologies from around the world on one platform.’

The Airport Security Zone at Airport Show 2017 will offer a dedicated platform to launch a wide range of products in different categories such as biometrics, checkpoint and baggage screening, digital and network surveillance, bird control systems, self-service and baggage handling systems, systems for passport readers/ scanners, access and perimeter control, air cargo X-ray screening equipment, emergency alarm and warning systems, smart building automation, hardware and data security, fencing, surveillance and security risk management systems.

Among the leading participants who will showcase products in airport security include Rapiscan, L-3, Nuctech, Smiths Detection, CEM Systems, Rockwell Collins, Garette and many others.

Middle East and North Africa (MENA) IT spending is projected to reach $155.8 billion in 2017 a 2.4 percent increase from 2016, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Inc. 

Gartner analysts are discussing the key IT and business issues that are driving the evolution of digital business this week during Gartner Symposium/ITxpo here through Thursday. Analysts said the key vertical segments driving IT spending growth include the communications, media and services, banking and securities, manufacturing and utilities markets. 

The devices segment will represent nearly 17 percent of total IT spending in 2017 (see Table 1), This market is expected to grow 4 percent this year, mainly due to a strong increase in mobile phone expenditure. Other devices (which include PCs) are forecast for negative growth.

Data center systems will see an overall growth of 6 percent in 2017, versus flat performance in 2016, due to increase in demand for servers and unified communications. Software spending is forecast to increase 9 percent, with enterprise application software projected to grow 13 percent and infrastructure software spending to increase 6 percent.IT services will post 4 percent growth, with business IT services reaching nearly 5 percent growth this year. Consumer mobile services will represent close to 60 percent of the total expenditures in communication services. 

‘The MENA region is moving in the right digital direction, where demand for the latest and most emerging technologies like Blockchain will continue to reflect the profound changes the IT markets are experiencing. The growing and influential role of business leaders toward embracing technologies and processes such as cloud, business intelligence (BI), analytics, customer relationship management (CRM), digital business and marketing, are contributing to fuel digital transformation,’ said Peter Sondergaard, senior vice president and global head of Research at Gartner. 

‘A new type of infrastructure needs to be built that is not just going to reshape business, but also the way people live. CIOs are the builders of this infrastructure, which Gartner calls the ‘civilization infrastructure’,’ said Mr. Sondergaard. ‘Middle East user organizations must realize the next evolution of digitalization is here: the rise of the digital ecosystem ‘ where enterprises, competitors, customers, regulators and other stakeholders form an interdependent business network.’

CIOs will participate in the building of a new digital platform with intelligence at the center. That platform will enable ecosystems, connecting businesses and collapsing industries. Gartner analysts said it will change society itself, and the way people live.

The new digital platform consists of five domains: traditional IT systems, customer experience, The Internet of Things (IoT), an ecosystem foundation and the intelligence platform that ties all the domains together.

‘Each of these domains are interconnected and interdependent. All have a role, and all are required,’ said Mr.Sondergaard. ‘Your new digital platform will allow you to participate in the evolving world of business, government, and consumer ecosystems. Because ecosystems are the next evolution for digital. It’s how you compete at scale.’

Further insight into the five elements of the new digital platform include:

Traditional core IT systems. This is how CIOs run and scale operations. It’s building on what’s already been built. It’s taking high performing traditional IT systems (such as the data centers and networks) and modernizing them to be part of the digital platform.

For example, leading organizations are halfway through the transition to the cloud. It started with Sales and Marketing, and now half of sales-support capabilities are in the cloud. This migration will continue through the end of the decade into functions such as HR, procurement and financial management.

‘You now need to make cloud, mobile, social and data your core capabilities while investing in resilience, business continuity and disaster recover, insight and outside in a hybrid approach,’ Mr. Sondergaard said.

Customer experience. This is how CIOs connect and engage in new ways. The digital customer experience may be the only one that the customers have. This is how the business engages in the digital world. The pioneers are exploring how new experiences such as virtual and augmented reality will change the way customers engage.

In the world of chatbots and virtual personal assistants (VPAs), your mobile apps, and even your web presence, will be much less relevant. The new competitive differentiator is understanding the customer’s intent through advanced algorithms and artificial intelligence. Creating new experiences that solve problems customers didn’t realize they had.

The Internet of Things (IoT). This is how the organization senses and acts in the physical world. Adding devices to the IoT domain is the easy part. Processes, workflows, and data integration are much harder. In fact, two-third of organizations have had to rework their existing IT systems to accommodate IoT.

IoT also changes how CIOs should invest in analytics because decisions must move from days to minutes to instant. CIOs should plan to shift their investments in analytics to real-time. Real-time analytics will outpace traditional analytics by a factor of three by 2020 to become 30 percent of the market.

Intelligence. This is how the systems analyze, learn and decide independently. CIOs start with traditional data management, data science and data intelligence. Algorithms determine the action. The new type of intelligence, driven by machine learning is artificial intelligence.

‘We are building machines that learn from experience and produce outcomes their designers did not explicitly envision. Systems that can experience and adapt to the world via the data they collect,’ Mr. Sondergaard said. ‘Machine learning and artificial intelligence move at the speed of data, not at the speed of code releases. Information is the new code base.’

Ecosystem Foundation. This is how the enterprise interacts as an institution in the digital world. Ecosystems go beyond the capability to decide, CIOs need to build the capability to interact with customers, partners, adjacent industries, even your competitors. The ecosystems allow for the transformation from traditional business with linear value supply chains to networked digital ecosystem businesses.

Many industry models will transform with digital ecosystems. Moving from simple relationships run by intermediaries toward distributed partnerships possibly managed by a shared distributed ledger system like blockchain. Building a strong ecosystem will help you manage these dynamic interactions. Ecosystems are the future of digital.

Gartner analysts are examining key industry trends during Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2017 in Dubai, 28 February ‘ 2 March. For further information about the event in Dubai, please visit https://www.gartner.com/events/emea/dubai-symposium. Members of the media can register for the event by contacting Sony Shetty at [email protected].

About Gartner Symposium/ITxpo
Gartner Symposium/ITxpo is the world’s most important gathering of CIOs and other senior IT executives. This event delivers independent and objective content with the authority of the world’s leading IT research and advisory organization, and provides access to the latest solutions from key technology providers. Gartner’s annual Symposium/ITxpo events are key components of attendees’ annual planning efforts. IT executives rely on these events to gain insight into how their organizations can use IT to overcome business challenges and improve operational efficiency.

Dubai – UAE Exchange, the leading global remittance, foreign exchange and payment solutions brand, has been conferred an award today by the Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) for the use of Arabic language through its dedicated ‘Hayakum’ counters.

The award was presented by Mr. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, Chief Executive Officer, Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection Sector, DED, at the UAE Exchange Country Headquarters in Al Qusais, Dubai.

The Hayakum counters were launched in early 2015 to cater to Arab customers, and are manned by skilled Arabic-speaking service personnel. The initiative has seen UAE Exchange gain traction with Arab audiences, with surveys showing an increase in customer satisfaction. Along with other targeted initiatives, the Hayakum counters have contributed to a 8 per cent year-on-year increase in the remittances to Arab countries, and 60 per cent of the clients served by the counters comprise of UAE Nationals, Egyptians and Jordanians. 

‘We value UAE Exchange commitment to customer service, and its initiatives to better serve its Arabic-speaking clients. This is the sort of innovation that raises service standards across the board, and translates to business success. We felicitate UAE Exchange on its efforts to meet the needs of Arabic speakers in the UAE,’ said Mohamed Ali Lootah, Executive Director of Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection, Dubai Department of Economic Development on the occasion.

‘We are very pleased to have our customer service efforts recognised by the DED. Our staff members are multi-lingual and have been trained to help customers in languages they are comfortable with. Our dedicated Hayakum counters acknowledge the importance of fluent Arabic when dealing with customers. UAE Exchange is committed to gaining market share among our Arabic speaking audiences, and initiatives like the Hayakum counters are part of our ongoing efforts to make the Arab demographic choose us as a financial partner of choice,’ said Abdel Kareem Alkayed, Country Head-UAE Exchange, UAE, while accepting the award. 

Last year, UAE Exchange was honoured with the coveted Emiratisation Award by the Minister of Economy, H.E Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, in recognition of the brand’s leadership in recruiting UAE nationals for operational roles.