Iran’s retaliatory missile strikes across the Gulf have triggered widespread business disruption in the region leading to airport closures, a halt in port operations and major event cancellations.
The impact on business in the Gulf region continues to be alarming and fluid. On Monday 2 March, Emirates and Qatar Airways had suspended all flights following major Middle East airspace closures, grounding two of the world’s largest global transit hubs in Dubai and Doha.
The closure of air space is disrupting international passenger and cargo traffic and missile strikes from Iran on luxury hotels and shopping malls, high-rise apartment blocks, and airports have severe consequences not least for the events industry in the region.
Some organisers may be rueing the timing of their launches. One example being International Live Music Conference (ILMC) and Pollstar’s recent announcement of their launch in Abu Dhabi in December 2026 of Live Summit. The event was launched in coordination with the Abu Dhabi Department of culture and Tourism and is to be produced by Ethara. At least that event is at the end of the year. But others have spent big marketing budgets just to see late cancellation days before their show.
Organisers of Affiliate World Global: Dubai edition told EW they had taken the decision to postpone their conference and exhibition to Spring 2027 “due to escalating regional conflicts and the resulting safety concerns, as well as the closure of UAE airports and significant disruption to travel”. The event had been due to open 4 March in Dubai World Trade Centre.
“Our team has worked incredibly hard over the past year to deliver what we believed would have been an outstanding conference, and we’re genuinely heartbroken to have to postpone,” the organiser iStack Conferences (managed by VCEGH (HK) Limited) added.
“We’ve made massive investments in the 2026 Dubai show across venues, production, booths, printing, staffing, and on-the-ground delivery. And we also know how much time, money, and careful planning you and your team invest to attend or exhibit at Affiliate World, on top of flights, visas, hotels, and coordinating team schedules. That’s exactly why this decision is so painful, and why it was not made lightly or for convenience. We’re making it because, under the circumstances, we cannot responsibly move forward while safety and access remain uncertain.”
The organiser said all purchased booths and sponsorships would automatically transfer to the new 2027 dates for Affiliate World Global: Dubai Edition.
Clearly the situation is very fluid and dmg events, which organises several major events in the region including Big 5 Construct Saudi in May and the Hotel Show in June in Dubai, told EW things were moving by the day and therefore felt unable to offer any concrete insights at this stage. Its calendar in April includes the Middle East Coatings Show in Dubai and the Saudi Paper & Packaging Expo in Riyadh. The organiser also has several shows in May scheduled for Saudi, as well as the World Utilities Congress, 19-21 May in Abu Dhabi.
International exhibition giant Informa saw its stock drop significantly (over 7% on the morning of 2 March) as the conflict threatens its major new partnership with the Dubai World Trade Centre. The company told EW: “In the directly impacted countries, no events are scheduled to run this month due to Ramadan, and preparations for events running in Q2 are continuing, subject to ongoing review in consultation with relevant authorities.” It also noted the directly affected countries accounted for 11-13% of group revenue for the full year.
Informa added that it is following all government guidance closely, “including teams currently working from home in the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar. We’re in continuous contact with colleagues and providing guidance and individual support wherever needed.”
RX told EW it was “closely monitoring the evolving situation in the region and remains in contact with local authorities and venue partners.
“At this time, our scheduled events in UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are proceeding as planned.
“The safety and wellbeing of our customers, partners and colleagues is our highest priority, and we will continue to assess developments carefully. We will provide updates if circumstances materially change.”
Thorns Group and -45dB CEO and founder Jon Noonan, who recently opened a Dubai office to service the emirate and wider region as an event supplier, told EW that large companies working in the UAE are locking down at home with no movement into offices. “They are sitting out waiting for further guidance from the UAE government.
“It is really hard to understand how the regional conflict is going to develop, but the GCC’s governments are making every effort to stabilise things in the region. Needless to say, missiles dropping out of the sky into GCC cities is not exactly how we thought we were going to start 2026 but we are hoping for a quick de-escalation.
“Our teams have been following both the FOCD advice and local UAE advice to shelter in place and not enter the region. As it stands, none of our shows have cancelled or postponed. If there were a reassurance, as it is Ramadan it is a quieter time of the year and, as such, may have less impact than if in a key trading period.”
Noonan added that most major venues were still working in the UAE.
Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial told Reuters that although elevated oil prices would provide a fiscal cushion for producers such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, trade, logistics and tourism – particularly in the UAE – would face pressure if shipping risks rise or regional sentiment weakens.
UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, said it was closely following developments in the Middle East and released the following brief statement, 2 March:
“At this challenging time, our thoughts are with all our members, partners and industry professionals across the region. The safety and wellbeing of every individual; colleagues, exhibitors, visitors, contractors and communities remain paramount.
“The exhibition industry is built on dialogue, connection and international cooperation. In moments of uncertainty, these values become even more important. 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.”
Contacted for comment, the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES) said it recognised that the current security developments are serious and that its thoughts are with all those directly affected. Gregor Bischkopf – IFES executive director, said: “As a global federation representing businesses across the exhibition and event supply chain, we are very mindful that this, as with any geopolitical instability, carries real human, economic and operational implications.
“The situation remains highly dynamic and is evolving on an hourly basis. At this stage, it is not yet clear whether, or to what extent, there will be a measurable impact on our sector. What we do know is that companies are proactively reviewing risk assessments, closely monitoring government travel advisories, and maintaining open communication with clients, venues and logistics partners.
“In terms of logistics, the primary considerations currently relate to potential airspace restrictions, freight rerouting, insurance implications, and contingency planning for international travel. The exhibition sector is deeply interconnected, and even indirect disruptions, particularly in cargo and passenger aviation, can create ripple effects across project timelines and cost structures.
“Regarding our upcoming IFES World Summit 2026 in Dubai [16-19 June – ed], preparations are continuing as planned. However, we are approaching the situation with vigilance and responsibility. We remain in ongoing dialogue with our local partners, the relevant authorities in the United Arab Emirates, and international advisory sources to ensure that any decisions we take are informed, timely and aligned with official guidance. The safety and wellbeing of our members, partners and participants remains our highest priority. Should circumstances require us to adapt, we will do so transparently, responsibly and in accordance with official recommendations.”
Bischkopf stressed it would be premature to speculate on longer-term impacts, with the situation changing hourly. “As an international association, we believe it is essential to respond based on verified information rather than assumption. What we can say with confidence is that our community is experienced in navigating uncertainty. Recent years have demonstrated the sector’s resilience, adaptability and strong culture of collaboration.
“What we see is uncertainty and super last-minute bookings and plannings, even more than ever before. What influence it has in a mid term, it is important to wait a little longer and see, how the situation evolves and develops.”
Chris Lewis, co-founder of UK-based Crisis Communications Audits which helps venues and event organisers prepare for crises told EW: “The impact of this crisis will not only be on those involved with events this week. It will also impact on everyone expecting to take part in events in the region in months to come.
“Organisers and venues must communicate ASAP with their audiences to show they care and to rebuild their confidence. They should also let them know that they will be kept informed regularly about changing plans for the event as the crisis progresses.
“They also need to provide well-informed contacts for incoming enquiries who can answer their questions. This might be done proactively by email as well as through a pop-up message on the event website. Those who have a crisis communications plan may well have template messages in their manual ready to be adapted for such an incident.”
EW will bring further updates as the situation develops.
Source: www.exhibitionworld.co.uk
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