Intersec 2023 – which took place at Dubai World Trade Centre 17-19 January – recorded its biggest visitor turnout, with 43,305 industry professionals from 131 countries attending the event’s 24th edition.

With over 800 exhibitors from 55 countries spread across nine DWTC halls and the Trade Centre Arena, the turnout saw a significant uptick in international visitors, with attendees from the GCC, Europe, Asia and the Americas accounting for 49% of the headcount.

Footfall meanwhile was spread across 48,331 gross square-metres of dedicated product showcases for commercial and perimeter security, homeland security, fire and rescue, safety and health and cybersecurity.

A report from PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), produced in partnership with Intersec, found that the wider sector is treading a new pathway to cognitive security and surveillance, which will see the system evolve with active involvement from customers alongside their OEMs of choice to drive client-centric development.

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“With emerging technologies playing a leading role in driving change across the ecosystem, the success and future of the security and surveillance industry lie in moving from an industry-driven strategy to a customer-focused strategy,” says the report.

“The shift can be enabled by partnership strategies with varying degrees of control and investment to strike a partnership equilibrium, while building a robust technology foundation as an enabler. This will require a collective effort throughout the whole ecosystem.”

Alex Nicholl, Show Director, Intersec, added: “This year’s heightened visitor numbers underline the industry shift to this new era of cognitive security and surveillance likely to dominate the sector going forward. It demands a heightened focus on customised technology and partnership requirements, both of which Intersec deliver.”

As Intersec organisers Messe Frankfurt Middle East begin planning for the event’s silver jubilee edition to run at DWTC from 16–18 January, 2024, PwC has reiterated the importance of trade shows in meeting new industry expectations.

“Such events add real value to the ecosystem as solution providers get an opportunity to showcase their capabilities in the latest technologies and features, while end customers can see live demonstrations and gain a hands-on sense of the technologies they are interested in,” the report adds.