DUBAI – The global trade show industry is confronting renewed instability as the Middle East conflict disrupts travel, airspace and event operations across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
On March 2, the U.S. Department of State issued a sweeping advisory urging Americans to leave Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Yemen immediately. The directive has forced organizers, venue operators and association leaders into real-time crisis management just as several major international events were set to open.
“The current situation is evolving, and it is too early to speculate about long-term effects,” Kai Hattendorf, Partner at jwc, a global consultancy for the exhibition and congress industry, said. “This very much depends on the duration and extent of the conflict and to what extent the current volatility and uncertainty can be mitigated.”
Still, Hattendorf struck a cautiously optimistic tone.
“We know two facts: Markets do recover from such external shocks. The horrible events of 9/11 did not cause long-term reputational harm for the U.S. events industry for example. And the leadership across the GCC have an excellent track record in their support for re-opening and supporting their destinations with a focus on events and travel, as we have seen after the COVID pandemic,” Hattendorf said.
High-Profile Postponements in Dubai
One of the first significant schedule shifts came from Affiliate World Global, which postponed its flagship Dubai edition just days before opening. The event, scheduled for March 4 at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), was expected to draw approximately 7,000 affiliate marketers and e-commerce professionals.
Organizers cited escalating regional conflict, airport closures and international travel disruption as the reasons behind what they described as an “incredibly difficult decision,” noting substantial investments already made in venue contracts, production, exhibit builds and staffing.
The show has been rescheduled for spring 2027. All tickets will transfer automatically, and attendees, exhibitors and sponsors are being offered $1,000 credits for virtual programming and future participation.
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Just days later, the Megacampus Summit followed suit. The large-scale lecture event, expected to attract roughly 13,000 attendees to Coca-Cola Arena March 6–7, announced it would postpone to September.
In a statement posted to Instagram, organizers attributed the move to regional airspace closures and flight disruptions, invoking force majeure to ensure global participants could “travel to the UAE and participate in the full summit experience.”
In Qatar, authorities suspended all public events, gatherings and hotel entertainment until further notice. The decision directly canceled the Doha stop of the Longines Global Champions Tour, scheduled for March 4–7.
UFI – The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, whose Global Congress is scheduled to take place in Bahrain in November, issued a statement expressing solidarity with members across the region.
“The safety and wellbeing of every individual — colleagues, exhibitors, visitors, contractors and communities — remain paramount,” the organization said. “We stand in solidarity with our members and the wider business events community, and we express our sincere hope for stability and swift de-escalation.”
For now, most fall and winter events remain on the calendar, but contingency planning is intensifying.
Informa noted that it does not have events scheduled in March within directly affected countries, including the UAE, due to Ramadan. Preparations for Q2 events in Dubai, in partnership with the DTWC, are continuing — subject to ongoing review.
The coming weeks will test the resilience of a region that has invested billions in positioning itself as a global business events hub. While industry leaders point to recovery patterns following past crises, the near-term outlook hinges on one variable: how long the volatility lasts.
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