Event cancellations and postponements are accelerating across the Middle East, as the ongoing conflict and widespread travel disruption continue to impact the global meetings and events industry.
British Airways has suspended flights to key Middle East destinations until the end of June, while airspace and airport closures has complicated travel across the region, adding to growing uncertainty for event organizers and attendees.
Industry insiders say the situation is now directly disrupting the global events calendar, with many programs across the Middle East being postponed or canceled in the near term, and ripple effects extending into Europe as international attendance declines.
High-Profile Event Cancellations
The disruption is already being reflected in a growing number of high-profile event cancellations and postponements. According to Northbourne Advisory, more than 100 events have already been cancelled across the Gulf including large-scale conferences, corporate events, and festivals.
The inaugural M&I Expo in Abu Dhabi, originally scheduled for April, has been postponed until 2027, with organizers citing the current situation and prioritizing the safety of attendees and partners.
Other major industry events have also been affected. Informa has rescheduled its Middle East Energy 2026 conference in Dubai from April to September, while the UITP Global Public Transport Summit has been cancelled in Dubai altogether, with the next edition now set to take place in Hamburg in 2027.
Meanwhile, IAAPA has postponed its inaugural Middle East Expo in Abu Dhabi until April 2027; Token2049 Dubai, a major cryptocurrency conference has been postponed to April 2027; and outside the business events sector, Formula 1 races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have also been canceled.
Travel Disruption Compounds the Impact
The situation is being further exacerbated by disruption to regional air travel. British Airways has suspended flights to multiple Middle East destinations, including Dubai, Bahrain, Tel Aviv and Amman until the end of May, with routes to Doha cancelled until April 30 and Abu Dhabi suspended until October.
The move followed the temporary closure of Dubai International Airport after a reported drone strike, underlining the growing instability affecting key global travel hubs.
For planners, the loss of major transit routes is creating additional uncertainty around delegate travel, particularly for long-haul events reliant on Middle East connections.
Agency leaders say the situation is already influencing decision-making beyond the region, with some programs encountering delays at the contracting stage. Uncertainty around long-haul travel routes—particularly those that pass through the Middle East—is prompting hesitation, with some organizations holding off on signing agreements for events later in the year.
Agencies Shift Into Contingency Mode
With “Plan Bs” adapting in real time—rerouting delegates, relocating events and building contingency scenarios—other programs are being actively moved out of the region. Agencies are also working behind the scenes to support clients with duty of care measures, including tracking traveler movements and, in some cases, repatriating teams.
“We want to know where everyone on our team is traveling at any one point… we’re trying to reroute everybody as much as possible,” one leader said.
Moving to ‘Safe’ Destinations?
The disruption is also beginning to reshape destination demand, with some planners moving events to alternative locations. Agency leaders report increased interest in destinations such as Portugal, Spain and Italy, as organizations look for what some describe as “safe Europe” alternatives.
However, this could in turn lead to availability issues across Europe in the second half of 2026 as companies look for European alternatives.
Another agency leader reported that even European events are feeling the impact, as flight disruption means that international delegates are canceling their travel plans either because they can’t get there or are choosing not to travel right now.
Beyond the immediate upheaval, some industry leaders warn the greatest impact could be longer-term reputational damage to the region as a global meetings hub, with confidence potentially taking years to recover.
Economic Ripple Effects
Industry leaders say the biggest impact might not come from canceled events themselves, but from the wider economic ripple effects.
Rising fuel costs, supply chain issues and general economic uncertainty are starting to squeeze event budgets around the world. For now, most of the industry is taking a wait-and-see approach, keeping a close eye on how things unfold.
