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Türkiye and more nations unite at EPEX 2026 in Dubai, bringing 100 exhibitors and 200+ MICE buyers from 21 destinations. The event puts travel, tourism and business events firmly in the spotlight. Moreover, leading hotels, tourism boards, venues and event suppliers will meet qualified MICE planners seeking fresh destinations and commercial partnerships.
EPEX 2026 will also highlight Türkiye and other international markets as demand for meetings, incentives, conferences and destination celebrations grows. Meanwhile, Dubai strengthens its position as a global events hub by hosting this focused industry gathering. Together, exhibitors and buyers will explore new opportunities, build partnerships and shape future travel.
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EPEX 2026 in Dubai brings 100 exhibitors and 200+ MICE buyers from 21 destinations, putting travel, tourism and business events firmly in the spotlight as global planners prepare new deals. EPEX 2026 in Dubai brings 100 exhibitors and 200+ MICE buyers from 21 destinations, putting travel and tourism firmly in the spotlight. The two-day event will connect destinations, hotels, venues and event suppliers with planners seeking new business opportunities. Meanwhile, Dubai will use the event to strengthen its position in global business events and experiential travel. More than 100 senior hosted buyers are expected in the core programme, while participating companies are reporting 200+ qualified planners and buyers. As a result, EPEX 2026 arrives at an important moment for travel, tourism, destination events, corporate meetings and luxury celebrations across major international markets.
EPEX 2026 will return to Dubai on 2–3 September, creating a focused meeting point for travel, tourism, MICE, destination weddings, hospitality and experiential events, with around 100 exhibitors and more than 200 hosted buyers and planners expected.
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The event will take place at SkyBubble, The Meydan Hotel, Dubai, marking the 11th global edition of the Experiential Planner Expo and bringing together destinations, hotels, venues, tourism boards, DMCs and specialist event suppliers at a critical stage in the international business-events calendar.
The central proposition behind EPEX is straightforward: bring qualified buyers into direct contact with suppliers that can deliver travel, tourism and business-event experiences.
Unlike large consumer-facing travel exhibitions that depend heavily on visitor numbers, EPEX focuses on curated meetings, networking and commercial relationships, making buyer quality more important than raw footfall for exhibitors seeking contracts and future business.
The official Dubai Government announcement says more than 100 senior hosted buyers are expected as part of the core programme, while current participating companies are reporting 200+ hosted event planners and buyers for the wider 2026 edition.
That distinction matters because the figures describe different participation categories, so the safest editorial description is that EPEX expects 200+ hosted buyers and planners, with 100+ senior hosted buyers included within the core programme.
Current exhibitor communications point to 90+ to 100+ exhibitors, with the most consistent description being nearly 100 exhibitors representing 21 destinations.
IHG Hotels & Resorts says the event will bring together nearly 100 exhibitors from 21 destinations, while other participating companies describe the show as featuring 90+ or 100+ hotels, venues, tourism boards and event suppliers.
The exhibitor mix gives the event a broad travel and tourism profile, combining hotel groups with destination organisations and specialist suppliers that can support corporate meetings, incentive programmes, conferences, destination weddings, private celebrations and immersive experiences.
The 21-destination footprint is particularly relevant because buyers are increasingly comparing destinations on connectivity, accommodation, venue infrastructure, experience quality, value and the ability to deliver complex group travel programmes.
EPEX has not yet published a definitive public country-by-country master exhibitor list covering all 21 destinations, but current exhibitor announcements identify a substantial international footprint.
The publicly identified markets and destination representations include:
This is not a substitute for a final official exhibitor directory, but it demonstrates how EPEX is expanding beyond a single-region travel and tourism showcase and creating a wider marketplace for international event business.
The focus on India, the GCC, Africa and Türkiye is one of the most important commercial features of EPEX 2026.
Dubai Government describes these markets as high-potential outbound markets and says the event is designed to attract buyers with active business intent rather than simply general industry visitors.
For travel and tourism companies, this creates a direct opportunity to pitch destinations to planners who influence corporate trips, incentive travel, conferences, destination weddings and group experiences.
The Indian market is especially important because outbound MICE demand continues to evolve towards short-haul destinations, distinctive experiences, easier connectivity and value-led programmes, while Dubai remains a major choice because of its air links, hospitality capacity and established business-events infrastructure.
IHG Hotels & Resorts will have a significant presence at EPEX 2026 as a Gold Partner, with 15+ IHG hotels participating.
The group says its participating portfolio will cover hotels from the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Europe, giving buyers access to multiple destinations and property types through a single EPEX platform.
That matters for travel planners because large hotel groups can provide consistency across different markets, while individual properties can still offer local experiences, meeting facilities and destination-specific programmes.
For tourism boards and hotels, the presence of a major international hospitality group also reinforces the importance of EPEX as a commercial platform rather than a conventional travel networking event.
Dubai Business Events remains the Host Destination Partner, while Kerzner International joins the 2026 edition as Headline Partner.
The Dubai Government says the partnership reflects the emirate’s wider strategy of strengthening international relationships and reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global hub for business events and experiential travel.
Dubai’s role is particularly relevant because tourism and business events increasingly overlap, with corporate visitors extending stays, combining meetings with leisure experiences and generating wider economic activity across hotels, restaurants, attractions, transport and destination services.
That combination makes business travel an important part of Dubai’s broader tourism strategy, especially when international planners are deciding where to stage high-value events.
EPEX says its model is built around personalised engagement, structured meetings, experiential programming and leadership conversations.
The platform has previously promoted scheduled business meetings and a curated buyer database, while earlier EPEX material highlighted its ability to connect international exhibitors with hundreds of buyers from India, the Middle East and Africa.
For exhibitors, this approach can make two days more commercially useful than a much larger exhibition where suppliers have limited access to decision-makers.
The travel and tourism industry has increasingly moved towards targeted B2B engagement because destination sales often require several conversations before planners commit to a venue, hotel, DMC or complete itinerary.
EPEX is not limited to corporate MICE business.
The platform also covers destination weddings, luxury celebrations and experiential events, areas where planners are looking for distinctive venues, premium hospitality, reliable suppliers and experiences that can be customised around a client or group.
This gives tourism suppliers another commercial route into international markets because a destination wedding can generate accommodation demand, transfers, dining, entertainment, excursions and extended leisure travel.
For destinations, the value goes beyond the event itself, since wedding guests can become leisure travellers and return visitors when a destination successfully combines celebration, hospitality and tourism experiences.
EPEX 2026 arrives in September, which Dubai Government identifies as an important period for the global business-events industry because planning and contracting activity begins to accelerate for the new season.
The timing gives destinations and suppliers an opportunity to present new products before planners finalise upcoming travel, tourism and events programmes.
It also allows buyers to compare emerging destinations and established hubs at a point when corporate travel budgets, incentive programmes and destination-event calendars are being shaped.
The 2025 edition marked EPEX’s 10th anniversary and focused on MICE, destination weddings, luxury celebrations and experiential travel.
Experiential Planner said the 2025 event was expected to bring more than 500 global buyers to Dubai, while previous EPEX material also highlighted participation from hotels, convention bureaus, tourism boards, DMCs and other destination suppliers.
The 2026 figures therefore show a more curated approach in the published buyer numbers, with the event putting greater emphasis on qualified planners and commercially relevant meetings.
For the travel and tourism sector, that shift is significant because the quality of business contacts can determine whether an event produces meaningful bookings, partnerships and destination contracts.
Exhibitors arriving at EPEX 2026 will be looking for more than brand visibility.
Their priorities include securing new MICE enquiries, developing destination partnerships, promoting hotels and venues, building relationships with event agencies and converting hosted-buyer meetings into future travel and tourism business.
Participating companies are already describing EPEX as an opportunity to meet qualified MICE buyers and reconnect with event-industry colleagues, reinforcing the show’s relationship-led commercial positioning.
For smaller suppliers, the event can also provide access to international planners who may otherwise be difficult to reach through larger travel trade shows.
Hosted buyers can expect destination presentations, hotel meetings, supplier discussions, networking and experiential programming.
The event’s format is designed to give planners a concentrated view of destinations and suppliers that can support group travel, corporate events, weddings and incentive programmes.
The emphasis on direct meetings also gives buyers an opportunity to assess practical issues such as venue capacity, accommodation, transport, local experiences, event production and destination support before making travel or tourism recommendations to clients.
Anup Kumar Keshan, Editor-in-Chief, Travel And Tour World says, “EPEX 2026 arrives at an important time for global travel and tourism, when destinations and planners are looking for stronger partnerships and more meaningful business connections. Dubai provides an ideal setting because it brings together international accessibility, world-class hospitality and a mature events ecosystem. The participation of around 100 exhibitors and more than 200 hosted buyers demonstrates the growing importance of focused MICE platforms. For the travel industry, EPEX is valuable because it connects decision-makers with destinations, hotels and suppliers in a commercially relevant environment. Its strong focus on India, the GCC, Africa and Türkiye also reflects where important outbound opportunities are developing.”
EPEX 2026 will place Dubai at the centre of an important travel and tourism business gathering on 2–3 September. Around 100 exhibitors representing 21 destinations are expected to meet more than 200 hosted buyers and event planners. The event targets India, the GCC, Africa and Türkiye because these markets are generating valuable outbound MICE and experiential demand. Its curated format gives destinations, hotels and suppliers direct access to planners with commercial intent. Dubai’s role as host destination further strengthens its global business-events profile. For tourism stakeholders, EPEX offers a focused route to partnerships, bookings, destination promotion, corporate travel and future event opportunities.
The commercial opportunity extends across the wider tourism economy.
A successful MICE programme can generate demand for hotels, airlines, restaurants, attractions, transport operators, entertainment companies, destination management companies and local experience providers.
That makes EPEX relevant not only to event planners but also to tourism boards seeking higher-value visitors and longer-stay travel from international markets.
Dubai’s continued support also signals that business events are being treated as an important part of the destination’s wider travel and tourism proposition.
Türkiye and more nations unite at EPEX 2026 in Dubai because international travel and tourism demand is becoming increasingly experience-led. The event brings 100 exhibitors and 200+ MICE buyers from 21 destinations together to create direct commercial connections. Its focused format gives hotels, destinations, venues and suppliers access to planners seeking new opportunities for corporate events, incentives, conferences and destination weddings. Therefore, EPEX 2026 provides a practical answer to the industry’s need for stronger international partnerships and targeted business meetings. Dubai’s hosting role adds further momentum, while Türkiye and participating nations gain an important platform to promote destinations and secure future travel business.
EPEX 2026 will take place on 2–3 September 2026 at SkyBubble, The Meydan Hotel in Dubai, UAE.
Current announcements indicate around 90 to 100 exhibitors, representing 21 destinations. Some participating companies describe the event as having 100+ exhibitors, so the final figure may change before the show opens.
The strongest current figure is 200+ hosted event planners and buyers, while Dubai Government separately says more than 100 senior hosted buyers are expected in the core programme.
EPEX 2026 is placing particular emphasis on India, the GCC, Africa and Türkiye, alongside wider international destinations and hotel markets.
No. EPEX is primarily a B2B platform for MICE, destination weddings, hospitality, experiential events and business travel, with a strong focus on qualified buyers and commercial meetings.
Dubai Business Events is continuing as Host Destination Partner, supporting the emirate’s objective of strengthening its position as a global hub for business events and experiential travel.
Its focus is on curated buyer engagement, direct meetings, networking and experiential programming, rather than simply maximising general visitor numbers.
EPEX can help destinations convert business-events demand into wider tourism activity by connecting planners with hotels, venues, DMCs, tourism boards and experience providers capable of delivering complete programmes.
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