Middle East & Africa Travel Trade Shows 2026–2027: Dates and How to Choose

Cover image: Sheikh Zayed Road beside the Dubai World Trade Centre, home of Arabian Travel Market (2007 file photo) — photo by Imre Solt, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

This page tracks 14 travel trade shows in the Gulf, Saudi Arabia and Africa, 12 of them checked against the organisers' own websites, with the tables updated weekly. Around them we explain who each show is built for, how Gulf dates have shifted, how hosted-buyer terms differ and which entry rules to check.

The short answer: suppliers and destinations selling to the Gulf travel trade should start with Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, which is trade only, and add Qatar Travel Mart in Doha, which also admits leisure visitors. Companies that sell Africa have South African Tourism's Africa's Travel Indaba for leisure and Meetings Africa for business events, plus RX's WTM Africa in Cape Town. Luxury specialists have We Are Africa and ILTM Africa.

Last updated: 1 November 2026. The tables below are rebuilt weekly from dates checked on organisers' own websites; shows drop off once they have taken place. For every show see our travel trade shows calendar, and the India travel trade shows, Asia-Pacific travel trade shows.

Jump to: December 2026 · February 2027 · March 2027 · April 2027 · May 2027 · September 2027 · October 2027 · November 2027 · Dates not yet announced

Upcoming travel trade shows in the Middle East and Africa

December 2026

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

Dates not yet announced

These organisers had not published their next dates when we last checked. The first column shows when the show was last held; we add the new dates once the organiser publishes them.

The Gulf and Saudi Arabia: who each show serves

Arabian Travel Market (ATM), run by RX at Dubai World Trade Centre, is a four-day business-to-business show with no public days. Exhibitors are tourism authorities, airlines, hotel groups and technology companies. RX's closing release for its 33rd edition named decision-makers from markets including the UAE, India, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, the UK, Egypt, Türkiye, South Africa, the US and China. RX hands out no buyer lists, so exhibitors find buyers through ATM Meet, its online meeting service.

Qatar Travel Mart (QTM), organised by NeXTfairs at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, runs all three days at the same hours with no separate trade or public days, and its last published visitor profile listed leisure travellers and families alongside agents and corporate buyers. By the organisers' own counts, QTM drew 11,851 visitors in 2025, while ATM reported more than 55,000 professionals that year; the measures differ.

In Saudi Arabia, RX's WTM Spotlight Riyadh puts Saudi and international buyers on the same floor as Saudi consumers, "connecting the world to Saudi and Saudi to the world", in RX's words. TOURISE, chaired by Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism, is a leaders' summit rather than a trade fair; attendance starts with a request for an invitation. Dubai World Central also hosts the Dubai Airshow, an aerospace show held every other year.

When Gulf show dates move, and how to plan for it

ATM normally runs in late April or May, but in 2026 RX moved it twice: first to August, "to prioritise the safety and well-being of customers, partners and colleagues", then to September, "following extensive consultation with exhibitors and industry stakeholders". RX's closing release said the next edition returns to May. Other dates shift too: QTM moved from late November in 2025 to early December, WTM Spotlight Riyadh's next edition is in October after a September show, and TOURISE followed its November launch with a March date.

Check air access separately. More than 20 airlines revised their Middle East schedules for autumn and winter 2026, citing regional airspace restrictions, as our round-up of Middle East schedule changes records. As of late October 2026, The National's flight tracker still showed foreign carriers with reduced or suspended Gulf services: British Airways flew to Doha once a day instead of twice, and Finnair had suspended Dubai and Doha for the winter. That falls hardest on ATM's hosted buyers, because RX makes no contribution to their flights. Check the organiser's site, our travel trade shows calendar and your airline before booking non-refundable travel.

Africa's inbound marts: Indaba, Meetings Africa and WTM Africa

South Africa hosts three of these shows, and each sells Africa differently. Africa's Travel Indaba in Durban is South African Tourism's leisure show. A selection committee vets every exhibitor, who needs an international marketing plan and STO, rack and net rates; exhibitors from elsewhere in Africa must have an office on the continent. Buyers are inbound tour operators, foreign travel agents, airlines and online booking firms; the organiser estimated about 9,810 delegates in 2026, including 274 hosted buyers.

Meetings Africa, at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, is the same owner's business-events show, held in February, months before Indaba in May. The South Africa National Convention Bureau invites its hosted buyers: meeting planners, association executives, corporate travel bookers and incentive houses, from countries including Brazil, China, Germany, India, Kenya, the UAE, the UK and the US.

WTM Africa, run by RX Africa at the Cape Town International Convention Centre as part of Africa Travel Week, works in both directions: African boards, hotels and tour operators meet international buyers, while destinations from elsewhere court Africa's outbound buyers. An IBTM Africa zone flags exhibitors for MICE buyers. Beyond South Africa, the Kenya Tourism Board runs the Magical Kenya Travel Expo in Nairobi, and Lagos hosts the annual Akwaaba African Travel Market, first held in 2005.

Luxury marts: ILTM Africa, We Are Africa and PURE

ILTM Africa, RX's invitation-only luxury show, is held at the Norval Foundation art museum in Cape Town, back to back with WTM Africa. Buyers must book African product on an outbound basis, have traded for at least 12 months, hold authority to buy and supply three references, two of them direct luxury property bookings. They get up to four hotel nights, and fully hosted buyers also receive a contribution towards return flights.

We Are Africa, run by This is Beyond at Cape Town's DHL Stadium, is an exclusively African marketplace. Its buyers design tailor-made African trips, make the decisions on their product portfolio and need references from high-end African suppliers. Each gets up to 45 pre-scheduled 20-minute appointments, with hosting in a partner hotel or on a pre- or post-show tour. The same company's PURE Life Experiences, held every year in Marrakech, covers experiential travel worldwide. It admits only directors, business owners and senior decision-makers, and diaries hold up to 45 meetings.

Choosing by source market, and the entry rules

To reach buyers across the Gulf and its neighbours, start with ATM, which reported professionals from 166 countries in 2025; QTM adds Qatar's own trade and travelling public, and WTM Spotlight Riyadh targets Saudi buyers and consumers. Middle East sellers should note that ATM's hosted buyers must have direct spend in the region. To sell Africa, choose by buyer: Indaba for overseas leisure buyers, Meetings Africa for planners and associations, WTM Africa for a mixed floor with African outbound buyers, and the luxury marts for advisers who sell high-end Africa. Watch May: in 2027 We Are Africa coincides with ATM, and Indaba follows a week later.

Entry rules depend on your passport; we checked these official sources in November 2026. The UAE government portal says GCC citizens need no visa, while other nationalities either get a visa on arrival or apply in advance, and passports must be valid six months from entry. Dubai event tickets go through the Department of Economy and Tourism's e-ticketing service, so ATM registration collects passport details. Visit Qatar lists visa-free entry for 102 nationalities and a Hayya e-visa for the rest. The UK Foreign Office says British visitors need no visa for business or tourism stays of up to 90 days in South Africa, with a passport valid 30 days beyond departure and two blank pages. Kenya requires an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) unless you are exempt, as citizens of East African partner states are; it is usually processed in three days, and the immigration service advises applying two weeks ahead. South African Tourism quotes Indaba and Meetings Africa fees in rand, including VAT.

Frequently asked questions

Which travel trade shows are coming up in the Middle East and Africa?

The next travel trade shows in the Middle East and Africa in our calendar are Qatar Travel Mart 2026 (7–9 Dec 2026, Doha); Meetings Africa 2027 (22–24 Feb 2027, Johannesburg); TOURISE 2027 Summit (23–25 Mar 2027, Riyadh); ILTM Africa 2027 (4–6 Apr 2027, Cape Town); WTM Africa 2027 (7–9 Apr 2027, Cape Town). Dates were checked on each organiser's website and the list is updated weekly; the tables above have the full schedule.

What are the main travel trade shows in the Middle East and Africa?

In the Gulf, Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, run by RX, and Qatar Travel Mart in Doha; Saudi Arabia has WTM Spotlight Riyadh and the TOURISE summit. In Africa, South African Tourism runs Africa's Travel Indaba in Durban and Meetings Africa in Johannesburg, and RX Africa runs WTM Africa in Cape Town. Luxury buyers have ILTM Africa and We Are Africa in Cape Town and PURE in Marrakech; Nairobi and Lagos host their own marts.

Which Middle East and Africa travel trade shows are open to the public?

Few. Qatar Travel Mart publishes no separate trade or public days, and its last visitor profile included leisure travellers and families. RX says WTM Spotlight Riyadh brings in Saudi consumers alongside the trade. Arabian Travel Market, Africa's Travel Indaba, Meetings Africa and WTM Africa have no public days, and ILTM Africa, We Are Africa and PURE are appointment-based marts for selected buyers and exhibitors.

What is the difference between Africa's Travel Indaba and WTM Africa?

Indaba, in Durban, is South African Tourism's leisure show, and every exhibitor must be based in Africa. Its hosted buyers get economy flights from selected markets and four hotel nights. WTM Africa, run by RX Africa in Cape Town as part of Africa Travel Week, covers both inbound and outbound tourism, so destinations from elsewhere can exhibit too. Its fully hosted buyers get a flight contribution and up to four hotel nights.

Does Arabian Travel Market pay for hosted buyers' flights?

No. RX runs a semi-hosted programme only and makes no contribution to flights. Accepted buyers get four nights in an ATM partner hotel with breakfast and must attend at least 35 pre-scheduled appointments. They pay a non-refundable US$250 plus VAT registration fee, need direct spend in the Middle East, and cannot have been on the programme in the previous three years.

How do buyers qualify for luxury travel marts in Africa?

Each mart vets buyers. ILTM Africa requires outbound bookings of African product, at least 12 months of trading, buying authority and three references, two of them direct luxury property bookings. We Are Africa wants buyers who design tailor-made African trips, make their own product decisions and hold references from high-end African suppliers. Both run pre-scheduled appointment diaries; We Are Africa offers up to 45 meetings.

Sources

• RX / Arabian Travel Market: ATM 2026 rescheduled to August (RX's stated reason)
• RX / Arabian Travel Market: ATM 2026 confirms revised September dates (RX's stated reason)
• TOURISE: 2027 summit announcement (chair, invitation requests, 2025 launch), Business Wire release of 16 September 2026 via Medianet
• The National: Middle East flights tracker, updated 30 October 2026 (British Airways Doha frequency, Finnair suspension)
• ILTM Africa: buyer criteria and what is included
• We Are Africa: about (venue, organiser, exclusively African marketplace, PURE)
• We Are Africa: buyers (criteria, appointments, hosting)
• UAE Government portal: check if you need a visa to enter the UAE
• Visit Qatar: visa-free entry and Hayya e-visa
• UK Foreign Office: South Africa entry requirements (British passports)
• Kenya Directorate of Immigration Services: eTA general information and exemptions