Events in the Middle East: what’s the landscape for the industry?

Events in the Middle East have cast a worrying question mark over the region ever since the conflict began earlier this year.

The inherent impacts of these tensions are profound for the exhibition industry.

Exhibitors, sponsors and attendees need to know which events are still going ahead in the region and how venues and organizers are prioritizing their safety and business interests.

This article will cover:

• How have tensions impacted events in the Middle East?
• What has been the response of venues and organizers to the current conflict?
• Which events in the Middle East are still happening?
• If the conflict continues: could the hybrid event format be the answer?

Event professionals need to understand what the current and future impacts are and how the industry is responding.

How have tensions impacted events in the Middle East?

The conflict in Iran has had consequences that affect all events currently scheduled to take place in the Middle East this year.

But it’s not only the countries involved in the conflict that have been affected.

Fighting has heavily impacted Gulf states despite them not being active participants.

The world has also had to deal with economic fallout – with specific industries feeling it most.

Safety of visitors is the top priority and steps have been taken to ensure this.

Many of the region’s most important events are scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia and Dubai.

Both countries have been hit during the conflict between Iran and the US despite the UAE not being directly involved.

There’s also the logistics issue – the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, closed airspace and other impacts to air travel have had a marked effect on Middle-Eastern travel hubs.

Attendees of any events taking place in the region not only want to feel safe in attending – they also want to rest easy knowing they can get home and won’t be stranded.

Event professionals will be forced to continue working around these issues until the conflict ends.

What has been the response of venues and organizers to the current conflict?

Organizers and venues in the region have responded to the hostilities to minimize their impact.

Organizers like Informa and RX took early steps by postponing events to later in the year.

Shows such as Middle East Energy 2026 and Arabian Travel Market 2026 were originally scheduled for spring but have now been moved to September. Some events like TOKEN2049 have been postponed until 2027.

These measures depend on hope – that by this point the fighting will have ceased and there will be some return to normalcy.

But as the conflict has surpassed 100 days the concern is that tensions will last longer – although the recent announcement of a peace deal keeps the hope of a near end in sight.

Organizers are still working more closely with venues, security teams and local authorities to put protocols in place for specific events.

Beyond this, they are carefully monitoring changes in travel logistics and communicating more closely with visitors to ensure they have all the information needed.

If the conflict persists, there will likely be more on regional buyers and businesses who will be more easily able to attend until tensions have eased.

Although the geopolitical landscape is as unpredictable as it can be, the full scope of the measures the industry will take in response is yet to be seen (and hopefully will not be needed).

Which events in the Middle East are still happening?

The number of high-profile events scheduled remains high despite ongoing conflict.

As previously mentioned, Informa and other organizers have rescheduled some of their premium events for later this year.

Informa:

• The Middle East Event Show (August)
• Middle East Energy (September)
• Cityscape Egypt (September/October)
• Cityscape Qatar (October)
• Jewellery Arabia (November).

dmg events:

• Big 5 Construct Saudi (September)
• Global Infrastructure Expo (September)
• The Saudi Food Show (September)
• ADIPEC 2026 (November)
• Big 5 Global (November)
• GeoWorld (November)

Other major events include – ATM 2026, Beautyworld Middle East and GITEX Global 2026.

Dubai World Trade Centre and Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre are the primary venues for most exhibitions in the Middle East.

Event professionals should continually check for information from venues, organizers and event websites to stay updated on any changes.

If the conflict continues: could the hybrid event format be the answer?

Geopolitical tensions are likely to remain elevated for a prolonged period – even if a peace deal goes ahead.

If organizers begin to see a notable decline in global attendance, what are the available solutions?

Postponement is not a viable long-term strategy if the conflict drags and despite current negotiations, uncertainty is still high.

Venues and organizers will likely prioritize in-person attendance for local industries and businesses.

However, there is precedent in the events industry for when in-person attendance become temporarily untenable.

Hybrid events became the ultimate solution for shows to maintain global participation during the pandemic.

The combination of both travel restrictions and social distancing rules meant that having thousands of international visitors in one venue was all but impossible.

Organizers responded to this issue by introducing hybrid events – a combination of virtual and in-person attendance to maintain access to global markets for participants.

Although hybrid events are no longer the go-to format post-Covid, they remain a powerful contingency tool and strategic safety net.

This format could be the ideal solution for events in the Middle East that want to maintain their global presence if the conflict persists.

The best event tech providers have hybrid options that can be easily implemented and curated during a live show.

It gives organizers a backup plan if geopolitical tensions in the Middle East do not ease within the desired time frame.

To bring the most advanced tech solutions to your next event, book a demo with ExpoPlatform.