Airport Show 2021 in Dubai to be held in May as hybrid event

Reed Exhibitions Middle East, organisers of the Airport Show in Dubai, has said that the event will be conducted as a hybrid one from May 24-26.

The physical version of the 20th edition of the B2B event will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

The 2021 show is planned to be held across 11,000 square metres of exhibition space with exhibitors and participants from over 50 countries expected.

It will have two co-located events: Global Airport Leaders Forum (GALF) and ATC Forum, taking place for the sixth and third year respectively.

Two new conferences have also been added to GALF: Airport Passengers’ Experience and Airport Digital Transformationm reported state-run news agency WAM.

The show is held under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman of Dubai Airports and chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group.

The Airport Show 2021 will see key figures from the airport industry from across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia participating in it.

“The Airport Show will enable aviation professionals to gain ringside views of newer technologies and digitisation for a greater sweeping impact. Now and in the future, the Aviation service sector is set to proactively and extensively work smarter and have a more future-oriented outlook. Given the prevailing conditions across the world, Airport Show will be the ideal platform to get a hold of anything and everything the industry requires,” said Ibrahim Ahli, deputy CEO of Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans) which is the sole handlers of air traffic movements at Dubai International Airport.

Daniyal Qureshi, group exhibition director at Reed Exhibitions Middle East, said significant investments and upgrades will be taking place at airports globally to implement the new health, safety and technology adoption initiatives by IATA and Airports Council International (ACI), with the Airport Show being a central meeting place to showcase these new innovations to industry players.

“Key changes expected to be implemented at airports over the next five years will focus on new IT-driven technology and solutions and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, cloud, remote control and drone technology; new green targets and initiatives, and passenger-centric touch-less solutions, self-check-in/bag drop and mobile-enabled services. Airports have always been exploring new ways to simplify the overall travel experience by adopting smart technologies and solutions which one can find in plenty at Airport Show,” added Qureshi.

Another major airline industry event in the emirate, Dubai Airshow, will also take place this year from November 14-18, 2021.

Read: Dubai Airshow to return in 2021, discuss future of the aviation sector