Dubai Domain Days 2023

Dubai recently hosted its first ever domain event, Domain Days Dubai. As the prevalence of digital presence in today’s world has become ever-present, this region is one of the highest-rated regions in terms of digitization. For this reason, it may come as a surprise that this platform, dedicated solely to discussions on domains, was the first of its kind. Participants from domain industry giants such as Sedo.com and it,com further elevated the impact of this event.

Dubai Domain Days did not merely mark the regional domain industry’s coming of age, but it facilitated an exchange of innovative ideas, conversations on future changes and strengthened shared enthusiasm towards digital revolution.

A gathering of thought leaders

“Domain names are the real estate of the digital world.” This statement from Elias Rendón Benger, our esteemed CEO who participated in a lively panel discussion, effectively encapsulates the essence of the event. His talk with Christian Voss from Sedo.com and Tess Diaz from it.com echoed the overarching tone of the event.

Their discussions revolved around the various shifts that have taken place in the domain industry over the last 25 years. From the early days of dial-up internet, when a domain was merely an online address, through to present times, in which it’s seen as a digital identity shaping global businesses.

The evolution of domains

Elias spoke to the audience about the evolution of domains and how they’ve become business necessities. A domain name is not merely a digital address anymore; it represents a business’s ethos, services and reputation.

In the dialogue that followed, the past 25 years were dissected, observing how, with the advent of the internet, the sphere of domains has expanded exponentially. The discourse moved on from the mere functional use of domains to a larger context, discussing how search algorithms and SEO have changed domain dynamics.

Understanding the challenges

A significant part of the dialogue revolved around domain-related challenges. Elias highlighted the issues that arise from the complexities of domain name ownership, such as privacy and security. With cyber threats and DNS abuse becoming more pervasive than ever, securing your digital real estate is pivotal. Legal disputes concerning domain names was another topic that was touched upon. Christian Voss from Sedo.com broadened this discussion by shedding light on the challenges of domain trading, including pricing and negotiation issues.

Improvements and innovations

Are we seeing the resurgence of domains? The panelists certainly thought so. Considered by some as a fading trend a decade ago, domains have made a formidable comeback. With further innovations like making domains readily accessible or integrating them with decentralized technology, the domain industry is poised for extraordinary growth.

Tess Diaz from it.com emphasized the significance of service portfolio expansion among registrars and how value-added services, like email hosting and website development, are a game-changer for the domain industry.

Looking towards the future

As the dialogue came to its conclusion, our CEO Elias, Christian Voss and Tess Diaz took a look at the future of domains. Elias predicted that, with the rise of digital businesses, demand for short, meaningful and brandable domain names would skyrocket. Christian discussed how domain trading activity is likely to increase and Tess outlined how customer service in registration will become crucial.

In summary, Dubai Domain Days marked a major milestone in the region’s digital history. The conclusion was clear – domains have gone beyond being static addresses and are now dynamic proxies that represent the vision of businesses, which needs to be protected and nurtured. As we move forward, versatility and innovation will shape the future of the domain industry.