UK firms seeking Gulf, African and Asian buyers and industry professionals can meet them at Automechanika Dubai, held from 10 to 12 November 2026.
London, UK: Market access across the six Gulf states is set to improve for UK automotive aftermarket suppliers under the UK-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) free trade agreement. Both governments finished negotiating the deal in May 2026, and it enters into force only after each side completes ratification. When fully implemented, it removes tariffs on around 93% of UK exports to the GCC. Applied to what UK firms already export, the government in London forecasts duty savings of around £580 million a year.
The timing suits aftermarket businesses, because regional demand is growing. Ken Research estimates the GCC automotive aftermarket had a value of USD 12 billion in 2025 and is projected to climb to USD 16 billion by 2031.
UK businesses can use Automechanika Dubai to test the market and start building relationships before the agreement takes effect. The 23rd edition is staged on 10 to 12 November 2026 at Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), Expo City Dubai. Distributors, importers and workshop groups from across the Gulf gather in one place, so UK exhibitors and visitors can meet them in a single visit. Dubai’s re-export gateway role carries contacts further, to Asia and Africa and to key CIS markets. Attendance in 2025 spanned 161 countries, while the exhibitor line-up represented 63 countries.
The show is run by Messe Frankfurt Middle East and backed by two government bodies, the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MOEI). Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) holds the role of Host City Partner.
Messe Frankfurt Middle East’s Chris Lee, Portfolio Director, Mobility & Logistics, explained: “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 Tommy Le, Show Manager for Automechanika Dubai. “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.”
Exhibitors numbering more than 1,200, from over 50 participating countries, are expected in 2026, among them Al Mokamel, AUMOVIO, Hella, Meyle and Hanon Systems. The floor is organised into 11 product sections covering the whole value chain for the automotive aftermarket: parts and components, electrics and electronics, tyres and wheels, batteries and technology, diagnostics and repair, vehicle care and detailing, and digital solutions and services.
Alongside the stands, at least 20 content-led features and activations are planned: specialist conferences, practical training sessions, awards, live demonstrations, competitions, interactive experiences, and new launches. Through its conference programme, the show seeks to help automotive professionals follow market developments and adapt as what customers, vehicles and workshops require keeps shifting.
Manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, workshop professionals, fleet operators and buyers are the audience, and this year’s edition is built to mirror the wider blend of vehicles, technologies and business models now influencing the Middle East and Africa aftermarket. UK suppliers can use the show to reach partners, distributors and buyers coming from throughout the Gulf bloc and other regions. As the UK-GCC agreement approaches entry into force, relationships formed there may help sustain trade across the Gulf in future. For more information, click here.
