Middle Eastis currently going through a period of a web boom. According to InternetWorld Stats, Internet penetration in Middle East currently stands at28.3% of the total population, with is considerably better than the world’saverage of 25.6%. In terms of expansion Middle East has witnessed a whopping growthof 1,825.3% in web usage in the past 10 years. The expansion of the web in theMiddle East can also be gauged by the number of Arabic websites that are mushroomingacross the web. Currently the number of people using Arabic online is placedaround 65,365,400 which represents the 7^th largest language blockonline.

The web hasnot only accelerated new forms of human interactions through e-mails, chat,instant messaging, and social networking, but it has also helped redefine andreshape the Middle Eastern economy and market in general. The revolutionhasbeen brought on by digitalization of B2B and B2C transactions,financialservices, and the advent of online shopping and supply change managementacrossindustries.

Apart fromenhancing communications and entertainment, in my view, the web has had thegreatest impact of the following fields in the Middle East, and the world ingeneral: 

Information

Most peopleuse the web to gather or transmit information. Internet enabled individuals andorganizations to transmit ideas and information to a large audience quickly andat very low costs. In essence the combination of these factors has madeinternet a virtual treasure trove of information. Almost 52% of the MiddleEastern uses use Internet to search for information. Students and children areamong the top users of Internet in this category; however the number of peopleusing Internet to search for products and services is on the rise. A trendwhich is likely to increase as Internet and computer literacy expands.

Services
In the last 10 years the web has grown to encompass almost all aspects of the serviceindustry. Banks, hotels, restaurants, airlines, car rentals, in short theentire service industry have embraced the World Wide Web in one form or theother. The predominant reason for this shift is cost. Off-line services are usuallymore costly than online offers, both for businesses and consumers alike.Businesses that use Internet as a medium of transaction save moneyon operational expenses and other office supplies, and are better connectedwith clients and customers. This trend has not been lost in the Middle East,where companies that have an internet presence are profiting at the expense oftheir not so savvy competitors.

E-Commerce
Ecommerce refers to the concept of using the web for commercial maneuvering, ortransfer of information across the globe. Ecommerce encompasses all aspects ofB2B and B2C transactions stretching across all products and services. Ecommercehas taking the world of business by a storm, and has given immense leverage tosmall firms. Individuals and small companies are now empowered to compete with largerfirms on an equal footing, all thanks to online shopping and money transfers.

In short, theweb is fast becoming the dominant tool for communication and conveying messagesacross to a large audience. Undoubted Middle Eastern companies that have the potential to grow, earn greater revenuesand save money are now opting to do a large percentage of their businessonline,a trend which is likely to remain strong in the future.   

JohnnyHuntington, ManagingDirector, Traffic Online JLT