Dubai, UAE: It is a fact that the sweltering heat of summer in the Middle East cannot be escaped. As a result, people prefer the comforts of air-conditioned indoor environments, even as the lack of Vitamin D is a health concern. To overcome the problem at hand, and to make outdoor environments pleasant for people to spend time in, outdoor cooling is a necessity.

Bob Mangiaforte, Vice President of Sales at Portacool, says that “sky is the limit” for outdoor cooling and, yet, the outdoor cooling industry is not as big as it ought to be, and the challenges remain. Andrew Whasky, Director for the GCC region at MistAmerica, says: “Even though the outdoor cooling industry is now 30 years old, in many ways, it is still in infancy. Its numbers clearly pales in comparison to the indoor AC market size.”

Concurring with this statement is Alex Haritonides, Director of Strategy and Planning at The Cool Group, who says: “Anyone who has an outdoor area or a patio or a pool needs a cooling solution. We are talking a million, two million units. That’s a big market, but it is clear that people are still not fully comfortable with cooling technologies that are not air conditioners. Most are still used to ACs, and that’s challenge we need to address.”

At the same time, Waskey notes that as companies develop new products and technologies, the market will see improvement. Pitching an optimistic outlook, Sabu Abraham, the Managing Director of Breezeair distributor, Climagulf, says that demand is picking up. He says, “We have noticed increased awareness among our clients of the benefits of outdoor cooling products.” Moreover, he says that the market will further benefit from Dubai Expo 2022.