The annual event is a leading regional forum for the broadcast, satellite, content creation, production, distribution, and digital media and entertainment industries It will take place alongside audiovisual industry event Integrate Middle East at Dubai World Trade Center from May 16 to 18 LONDON: CABSAT, described as the flagship event for the broadcast, satellite, content creation, production, distribution, and digital media and entertainment industries in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, will return in May for its 29th year. The annual expo, at Dubai World Trade Center from May 16 to 18, is expected to attract more than 14,000 visitors, 340 exhibitors, and 120 speakers from more than 120 countries. “The response … has been extremely positive, and industry leaders such as Epson, Provision AVL, Infiled, and Christie have already committed to exhibiting and demonstrating their innovative solutions,” organizers said. CABSAT 2023 aims to reflect the boom in the media and entertainment industry in the region, they added, which is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.79 percent over the five-year period beginning 2021 and be worth almost $70 billion by 2026, according to market intelligence platform ReportLinker. It will bring together some of the world’s “most innovative content creators, producers, broadcast-technology providers, as well as satellite distribution and content-delivery companies,” underlining the growing importance of the region as a content-production powerhouse. In previous years, participants have included representatives from Twitter, Meta, Dubai Media City, the Saudi Media Rating Company, and Disney Plus. This year’s event will include the return of key sessions, organizers said, such as: The Content Congress, which offers participants the chance to discuss the challenges and opportunities within the creative content market; NextGen Content, focusing on the exponentially growing demand for regional content; and the Digital Hub, an arena for all things related to latest media tech. The expo will also feature: The SATEXPO Summit, described as the most comprehensive gathering of regional and global satellite and space technology industry influencers; NextUp, a platform for start-up entrepreneurs to discuss the latest innovations in the media, entertainment and satellite industries; and the Saudi Program, dedicated to the Kingdom’s leading position in the media sector. CABSAT will run alongside Integrate Middle East, at the same venue, which is a major forum and sourcing platform for leaders in the professional audiovisual industry, a market set to reach a global value of $518.26 billion by the end of 2027.