RIYADH: More than 45,000 people visited the four-day GITEX Saudi Arabia 2011, the 10th International Information Technology Exhibition, the Kingdom's premier information and communication technologies (ICT) event that concluded in Riyadh, Thursday. Over 400 exhibitors from 16 countries have showcased the latest products in the event inaugurated Monday at Riyadh International Convention and Exhibitions Center (RICEC) by Khaled Bin Mohammed Al-Gusaibi, Minister of Economy and Planning. Organized by Riyadh Exhibition Company (REC) GITEX Saudi Arabia 2011 has occupied around 15,000 square meters space at RICEC. The participating exhibitors have expressed satisfaction over the number of visitors and the level of enquiries they received from the potential clientele in Saudi Arabia. Ahmed Reda, Media and Communications Manager, Information Technology Industry Development Agency, Egypt, described GITEX Saudi Arabia as one of the regional premier's ICT event that offers huge potential for business. GITEX Saudi Arabia is one of the main ICT events in the region as it showcases the large potential of the local market. Egyptian companies have been achieving great results from exhibiting at this premier show, he said. He added that the number of Egyptian companies participated in this year's event rose to 45 from 20 in the 2010. Eric Chen, General Manager, Luckwell Company and head of Taiwanese delegation that set up its pavilion, said the magnitude of the GITEX Saudi Arabia reflects the Kingdom growth potential and the investment opportunities available for foreign investors in Saudi Arabia. He said GITEX Saudi Arabia 2011 is the most important trade exhibition dedicated to the information and communication technology in Saudi Arabia. It reflects the Kingdom's continuous investment in the ICT sector and the huge development potential. “We think GITEX Saudi Arabia was a good platform for Taiwan's innovative ICT products to debut. We were keen to explore business opportunities in the fields of solar energy systems, given the Kingdom's abundant sunlight, WiMAX systems, wireless networking systems, and other facilities,” he said. Saudi Arabia's keenness for the development of the ICT sector was reflected in the strong participation and support of major government agencies led by the National Information Centre, Ministry of Interior, Riyadh Municipality, Public Pension Fund and Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) among others.
