UK businesses can meet buyers and industry professionals from the Gulf, Africa and Asia at Automechanika Dubai, which runs 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. Negotiations between the two sides finished in May 2026, and the deal takes effect, entering into force, as soon as ratification is completed by both parties. When it is fully implemented, tariffs will disappear on around 93% of UK exports to the GCC, and the UK government puts annual duty savings across current UK exports at around £580 million.
Aftermarket businesses are also seeing demand rise in the region. Ken Research values the GCC automotive aftermarket at USD 12 billion in 2025 and forecasts that it will climb to USD 16 billion by 2031.
Automechanika Dubai offers UK companies a chance to test the market and form relationships before the agreement comes into effect. Its 23rd edition takes place at Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), Expo City Dubai, from 10 to 12 November 2026. Distributors, importers and workshop groups from across the Gulf are gathered in one place for UK exhibitors and visitors to meet. Key CIS markets, Africa and Asia also come within reach, since Dubai works as a re-export gateway. The 2025 edition drew visitors from 161 countries, while 63 countries supplied exhibitors.
Government support for the show comes from the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MOEI), and it is organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East. The show’s Host City Partner is the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) in Dubai.
Portfolio Director, Mobility & Logistics, at Messe Frankfurt Middle East, Chris Lee commented: “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,” explained Tommy Le, the Show Manager of 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.”
In 2026, organisers expect more than 1,200 exhibitors from over 50 participating countries, among them Al Mokamel, AUMOVIO, Hella, Meyle and Hanon Systems. The show is organised into 11 product sections covering the automotive aftermarket value chain: parts and components, electrics and electronics, tyres and wheels, batteries and technology, diagnostics and repair, vehicle care and detailing, and digital solutions and services.
At least 20 content-led features and activations will be on the exhibition floor: specialist conferences, practical training sessions, awards, live demonstrations, competitions, interactive experiences, and new launches. The conference programme aims to help automotive professionals grasp market developments and get ready for shifting customer, vehicle and workshop needs.
Aimed at buyers, fleet operators, workshop professionals, distributors, suppliers and manufacturers, this year’s edition will mirror a wide blend of vehicles, technologies and business models now shaping the aftermarket across the Middle East and Africa. UK suppliers get a venue to meet partners, buyers and distributors from throughout the GCC and the broader region. As the UK-GCC agreement edges closer to entering into force, such contacts could underpin later trade throughout the Gulf. For more information, click here.