On 9th March, Mohamed Mezghani, secretary general of Union Internationale des Transports Publics, cancelled the organisation’s 2026 Summit in Dubai, scheduled for April 21–23. Unlike other regional events that have been postponed, the summit, expecting 8,000 attendees, will not take place. During Skift Meetings’ LinkedIn Live on 31st March he described the decision as “heartbreaking.”
Sumaira Isaacs analyses the 5-decades long-term vision that underpins the UAE’s economic strategy, and argues that what makes UAE different is not just resilience, it is preparedness embedded into infrastructure, policy and execution. Business Events may have short-term disruption, but remain central to the delivery of many of UAE’s strategic developmental objectives.
AMI’s James Lancaster analyses the geopolitical balancing act that helped UAE, particularly Dubai, become one of the most successful association meetings destinations, arguing that it’s premature to write the city off. With a long-term government vision centring business events, Dubai has the assets and the will to bounce back swiftly, provided the conflict is short-lived.
As the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia F1 races face likely cancellation, the fallout is highlighting broader risk for live events across the region as trade shows, conferences, and corporate gatherings prepare for the post-Ramadan business rebound. The conflict is causing the most significant disruption in the Middle East since the Covid-19 pandemic. From Skift Meetings…
Regional instability is rippling across the global events industry, forcing organizers to make high-stakes calls with little certainty. Airspace shutdowns and safety advisories are prompting cancellations and postponements across the Gulf and casting doubt over upcoming trade shows, including IAAPA Expo Middle East, scheduled for 31 Mar–02 Apr in Abu Dhabi. From Skift Meetings…
Iran’s retaliatory missile strikes across the Gulf have triggered widespread business disruption leading to airport closures, a halt in port operations and major event cancellations. Emirates and Qatar Airways suspended all flights following major Middle East airspace closures, grounding two of the world’s largest global transit hubs in Dubai and Doha. From Exhibition World…
As US-Iran strikes escalate, business events across the Middle East are facing postponements, rerouted delegations, and operational disruption. The fallout is reverberating far beyond the region. President Donald Trump has indicated that the Iran strikes could continue for four to five weeks, signaling ongoing impacts for the business events sector. From Skift Meetings…
Informa plc and Dubai World Trade Centre are merging their Live B2B Events businesses into a Joint Venture, called “inD”. The new company will be in charge of Informa’s wholly owned B2B Live Events business in the United Arab Emirates and wider IMEA region (excluding Saudi Arabia), as well as DWTC’s B2B Live Events business.
From M&C/Asia: In an era where medical conferences are indispensable platforms for collaboration, peer learning and the cross-pollination of ideas, the choice of host city has become a strategic decision rather than a logistical one. Recent landmark gatherings are demonstrating that Macao is no longer a peripheral option but a serious contender for medical congresses.
Supported by collaboration across government, industry, academia, communities, and global partners, the Tribe Legacy Sarawak Campaign has transformed how Sarawak delivers business events, shifting the focus from short-term tourism to long-term economic, social, and environmental impact, leading BESarawak to its strongest performance to date in 2025, as the organisation approaches its 20th anniversary.
From Meetings & Conventions Asia: Thanks to government policy, investment in an excellent events ecosystem and soaring ambition, Dubai is emerging as a global healthcare superstar. Its desire to provide a bridge for international knowledge-sharing is proving irresistible to some of the world’s most important medical events.
It’s often the case that business event calendars tend to hit a lull towards the end of the year as employees enter the holiday season. However, APAC’s business event suppliers are noticing a growing shift away from this trend, fuelled by rising demand for more meaningful experiences, and strategic drives to navigate uncertainty…
ICCA has signed a landmark partnership agreement with Beijing Capital Group Exhibitions & Events to co-develop a three-level professional education certification programme designed specifically for China’s fast-growing business events sector. The Certified International Business Events Professional (CIBEP) programme will introduce international standards, foundational industry knowledge, and practical skills to emerging and mid-level talent across China.
Dubai will shortly have a new resource and additional motivation to attract international events specialising in environmental and circular economy fields, as such events will include potential investors, start-ups, and individuals who are potential employees of companies that base themselves in this new zone. From Meetings & Conventions Asia…
Globally, association leaders are rethinking what their events and global activities are meant to achieve, with the end goal being to create outcomes that matter – impact. As expectations evolve, destinations are increasingly assessed by the role they play in shaping these outcomes and enabling longer-term and meaningful impact. From Boardroom…
The ICCA Middle East Summit gathers leading regional and international stakeholders from the business events industry, featuring an agenda that includes panel discussions, case studies, workshops, and structured networking sessions. The event is expected to facilitate valuable networking, knowledge sharing, and collaborative opportunities for destination marketing professionals, tourism boards, association executives, sustainability advocates, technology innovators…
The new SAE is the brainchild of GConvene and Talley Management Group, which will act as strategic advisors to the new organisation, aiming to professionalise the enormous number of associations in India. This has the long-term potential to significantly transform the association meetings landscape in the region. From M&C Asia…
Talley Management Group announces the launch of the Society of Association Executives (SAE) India, based in Bangaluru, India. This is the first project for the strategic partnership between Talley and Global Healthcare Academy (GHA), in Bangalore, India, committed to advancing Indian national associations and expanding global reach of associations and non-profits.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress 2025 has been certified compliant with the ISO 20121:2024 certification for sustainable event management, recognising its commitment to organising a responsible and sustainable World Conservation Congress in 2025. IUCN has strived to ensure all aspects of Congress operations adhere to rigorous sustainability standards…
This event is open to senior meeting professionals and previous EDGE Seminar attendees. It is open to both IAPCO members and non-members. The event website will go live soon but we encourage you to register your interest to attend now in order to avoid missing the limited spots available.
Powered by 
