The 93rd UFI Global Congress takes place from 2 to 5 November 2026 at Exhibition World Bahrain in Sakhir, bringing the leadership of the international exhibition industry to the Kingdom. The congress is organised by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, and is hosted by Exhibition World Bahrain with the support of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority.
The Global Congress is UFI's annual flagship gathering and is open to its members: the organisers, venues, service providers and associations that make up the exhibitions business worldwide. It typically draws several hundred chief executives and senior managers from the largest trade show organisers and venue operators, alongside national associations and the suppliers of the technology, logistics and services on which the industry runs.
The congress matters to executives beyond the exhibition industry itself because trade shows are the marketplace through which most business-to-business sectors meet their customers, and the strategic decisions taken by organisers and venues shape where and how those markets convene. The choice of Bahrain reflects the Gulf's rise as an exhibition destination, with new or expanded venues in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Oman competing for international shows and with regional governments treating the sector as a driver of business tourism and economic diversification.
The programme is built around the strategic questions facing the industry: the growth of exhibitions in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, the consolidation of organisers under private equity and listed ownership, the use of data and digital platforms to extend events beyond the show floor, sustainability and the carbon footprint of events, and the economics of venue investment. It also includes UFI's general assembly and the presentation of its annual awards and research.
For chief executives and strategy leaders at exhibition and events groups, venue operators, hospitality and destination bodies, and the investors who have been active in the sector, the Global Congress is the one occasion each year when the industry's decision makers meet in a single place. Its arrival in Bahrain is also a marker for the Kingdom's own ambitions to host more international events at its Sakhir venue.
Participation details and the programme are published on the UFI site.
