Why Australia is following major international publishers into the Middle East’s flourishing market
The Middle Eastern and African (MENA) marketplace is growing into a haven for major global publishers. So why is Australia following in their path? Marwan Rahme, managing director of Kanebridge Ltd, explores.
Demographically diverse, and flush with cash, the Middle Eastern and African (MENA) marketplace is fast becoming a mecca for major global publishers keen to capitalise on the region’s growing demand for content – and now Australia is following suit.
Over the past couple of years alone, the likes of the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and The Economic Times have expanded their press east to offer global and local content to audiences in the flourishing MENA region – which includes the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco and Saudi Arabia.
For international publishers, the strategic move particularly follows an influx in tech investors across key sectors, which led to the funding of more than 2000 startups over the past five years alone*. And with Dubai in particular set to double its economy in the next decade** via turbo-charged foreign trade and investment to the sum of about USD$8.7 trillion, financial experts have earmarked MENA as one of the globe’s top places for businesses to expand.
