An Emirati woman shows visitors a computer program at the 17th Gitex, in 1997. Photo: AFP
An Emirati woman shows visitors a computer program at the 17th Gitex, in 1997. Photo: AFP
An Emirati woman shows visitors a computer program at the 17th Gitex, in 1997. Photo: AFP
An Emirati woman shows visitors a computer program at the 17th Gitex, in 1997. Photo: AFP

Timeframe: How Gitex grew into one of the world's largest tech shows


Hareth Al Bustani
  • English
  • Arabic

Now in its 42nd year, Gitex has grown from a niche, special interest show into one of the world's largest exhibitions of its kind.

The first event was launched as the Gulf Computer Exhibition in December 1981 at the Dubai International Trade and Exhibition Centre.

Designed by British architect John Harris, at the time, the 149-metre Trade Centre was the tallest building in the Gulf.

It was a natural fit for the cutting-edge technology exhibition, which came at a time when almost half of those attending did not own or use computers.

IBM had just introduced its first personal computer, which ran on Microsoft’s nascent MS-DOS operating system, and many people were still unaware of the impact that the microcomputer revolution was about to have on the world.

But during the event, 3,000 visitors from the Arabian Peninsula, explored the latest software and hardware from 46 exhibitors around the world – including Arabic-language software, British Telecom’s Prestel virtual newspaper and the ICL Perq – the first personal workstation with a Graphical User Interface.

The next year, the number of exhibitors grew to 70, and in 1985 the event hosted the launch of IBM's Arabic-language keyboard.

In 1988, the event was renamed the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition — Gitex for short — and launched MacWorld, doubling its exhibition space to two halls.

The event continued to grow over ensuing years, passing 10,000 visitors in 1989, and 350 exhibitors in 1995 — when the event hosted the regional launches of Microsoft Windows 95.

Since then, Gitex has grown from strength to strength, hitting 125,000 visitors during its 25th anniversary, and becoming the world’s third-largest ICT show by 2010.

A robot named Rammas at the Dewa stand during GITEX 2020 at the World Trade Centre. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A robot named Rammas at the Dewa stand during GITEX 2020 at the World Trade Centre. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Along the way it has grown from what Jacky’s Electronics chief operating officer once described to The National as a “techie event”, where people went to buy Ram and motherboards, into a five-day display of the latest innovations in 5G, artificial intelligence, cloud technology, cyber security, FinTech, blockchain, data analytics and smart cities.

It is a journey that mirrors the UAE’s own, as a nation that moved from an adopter of technological innovations into one of the world’s driving forces of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

This year, the event, now known as Gitex Global, will feature the first public flight of a Chinese tech company's two-seat, vertical take-off and landing flying car.

Between October 10 and October 14, 5,000 companies will occupy two million square feet of exhibition space — a 25 per cent increase on 2021 — divided into 26 halls.

“This year, my office has partnered with Gitex to ensure that we’re not just showcasing technology, but actually inventing and developing technology,” Omar Al Olama, the UAE's Minister of State for Digital Economy, AI and Remote Working System, said of Gitex's evolution.

Scroll through images of last year's Gitex below

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

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Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo

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Emergency phone numbers in the UAE

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

Gothia Cup 2025

4,872 matches 

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

While you're here
About Housecall

Date started: July 2020

Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: HealthTech

# of staff: 10

Funding to date: Self-funded

Updated: October 07, 2022, 6:01 PM`