Milipol Qatar Records 10% Increase in Number of Visitors

Doha, October 09 (QNA) The first day of the Ninth Milipol Qatar at the Doha Exhibition Centre (DEC) marked an increase by 10% the number of visitors to the international internal security expo compared to the previous edition held in 2010, an official said here Tuesday. Milipol General Manager Michael Weatherseed today told Qatar News Agency (QNA), "Entry of more than 1,600 visitors, comprising top officers from internal security and industry professionals, was recorded on the first day, an increase by 10% over the previous edition of the exhibition. This edition is showcasing 244 exhibitors from 37 countries." Every visitor's arrival to the DEC is recorded by a sensor which reads the data stored on the visitor's badge which has a microchip. The moment the visitor passes the gate, the sensor beeps and reads the data and the name of the visitor appears on the LCD screen installed at the entrance, he said. Regarding the total number of deals and the amounts, Weatherseed said, "There deals being entered into at this exhibition, but not all internal security deals are announced because some of them are very sensitive. Depending upon the type of product or service being purchased the process of finalizing of some contracts can take a very long time." Deals adding up to US $ 100 Million were announced at the last edition of Milipol 2010, he said. Milipol Qatar is a leading platform for suppliers of products and services in the security industry and for decision-makers, buyers and government officials to network and do business. This exhibition covers security issues in the Near East, Middle East, Asia and Africa. Asked about the security perceptions and threats, Weatherseed said, "The world is getting more complicated and therefore governments need to find more efficient solutions to deal with them. This often comes through new technology and innovative products." Milipol Qatar 2012 is focused on four key areas: Protection of industrial and critical infrastructure; terrorism; border control; law enforcement and crowd management. A final media conference will be held tomorrow evening at the DEC. "We will announce the final figures at this press conference which will roundup the details of the three-day show," he added. (QNA)