UK businesses can meet buyers and trade professionals from across the Gulf, Africa and Asia at Automechanika Dubai, scheduled for 10 to 12 November 2026.
London, UK: The free trade agreement between the UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will widen market access for UK automotive aftermarket suppliers in all six Gulf states. Negotiations concluded in May 2026, and ratification by both sides must be completed before the deal enters into force. Once the deal is fully implemented, tariffs will no longer apply to around 93% of UK exports going to the GCC. Across current UK exports, a UK government estimate sees around £580 million in annual duty savings.
Regional demand is also rising for automotive aftermarket businesses as the agreement approaches. In 2025, Ken Research put the value of the GCC automotive aftermarket at USD 12 billion, and it forecasts that the market will reach USD 16 billion by 2031.
Ahead of the agreement taking effect, Automechanika Dubai gives UK companies a chance to assess the market and begin forming relationships. Dates for the 23rd edition are 10 to 12 November 2026, and the venue is Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) in Expo City Dubai. Both exhibitors and visitors from the UK can meet workshop groups, importers and distributors from throughout the Gulf in one place. Dubai’s position as a re-export gateway also opens routes into Africa, Asia and key CIS markets. The 2025 edition drew exhibitors from 63 countries and visitors from 161 countries.
The UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MOEI) and the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) lend government support to the show, which Messe Frankfurt Middle East organises. Its Host City Partner is Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).
Commenting on the move, Messe Frankfurt Middle East’s Portfolio Director, Mobility & Logistics, Chris Lee, said: “After more than two decades at Dubai World Trade Centre, moving to Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai feels like the right next step for Automechanika Dubai. The market is changing quickly, and the show needs the space and flexibility to keep changing with it.”
“What we are seeing across the region is a more varied aftermarket,” noted Automechanika Dubai Show Manager Tommy Le. “Conventional vehicles remain a major part of the market, but hybrid, electric and connected vehicles are changing the products, skills and technical knowledge the industry needs. Automechanika Dubai 2026 will bring that evolving mix together, giving businesses the opportunity to understand where the market is heading and build the relationships they need as the show moves to Dubai Exhibition Centre for the first time.”
Hella, Meyle, Hanon Systems, AUMOVIO and Al Mokamel are among the exhibitors expected at the 2026 show, which should draw more than 1,200 of them from over 50 participating countries. The exhibition covers parts and components, electrics and electronics, tyres and wheels, and batteries and technology, as well as diagnostics and repair, vehicle care and detailing, and digital solutions and services, across 11 product sections along the automotive aftermarket value chain.
Content-led features and activations, at least 20 in total, will run across the show floor, among them specialist conferences, practical training sessions and awards, plus live demonstrations and competitions, interactive experiences, and new launches. Helping automotive professionals gain a clearer view of market developments, and prepare for changing customer, vehicle and workshop requirements, is the aim of the conference programme.
Manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, workshop professionals, fleet operators and buyers make up the audience for this year’s edition, which will reflect the broader mix of business models, vehicles and technologies shaping the Middle East and Africa aftermarket. For UK suppliers, the show is a chance to connect with partners, buyers and distributors based throughout the GCC and beyond. Such contacts could underpin future trade with Gulf markets as the UK-GCC agreement moves closer to entering into force. For more information, click here.
