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Buyers and industry professionals from the Gulf, Africa and Asia can meet UK businesses at Automechanika Dubai, which runs from 10 to 12 November 2026.
London, UK: The UK-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) free trade agreement gives UK automotive aftermarket suppliers stronger access to the six Gulf states. The agreement will enter into force after both sides complete ratification, following negotiations that concluded in May 2026. Of UK exports to the GCC, around 93% will be free of tariffs once the agreement is fully implemented. Across current UK exports, the UK government estimates annual duty savings of around £580 million.
Regional demand is growing just as the agreement arrives for aftermarket businesses. According to Ken Research, the GCC automotive aftermarket was worth USD 12 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach USD 16 billion by 2031.
Ahead of the agreement taking effect, Automechanika Dubai gives UK companies a way to get to know the market and build relationships. Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), Expo City Dubai, hosts the 23rd edition from 10 to 12 November 2026. Distributors, importers and workshop groups from across the Gulf are all in one place for UK exhibitors and visitors to meet. Because Dubai serves as a re-export gateway, that reach extends to key CIS markets, Africa and Asia. In 2025, 63 countries were represented among exhibitors, while visitors came from 161 countries.
Automechanika Dubai is organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East, with government backing from the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MOEI). Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) serves as the show’s Host City Partner.
“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.” That was the view of Chris Lee, Portfolio Director, Mobility & Logistics, at Messe Frankfurt Middle East.
“What we are seeing across the region is a more varied aftermarket,” commented Tommy Le, who is 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.”
In 2026, exhibitors are expected to number more than 1,200, coming from over 50 participating countries and including Al Mokamel, AUMOVIO, Hella, Meyle and Hanon Systems. Spanning the value chain of the automotive aftermarket, the exhibition will be divided into 11 product sections: 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 appear on the show floor, from specialist conferences, practical training sessions, awards, live demonstrations, competitions, interactive experiences, and new launches. The conference programme is designed to help automotive professionals understand market developments and respond to changing demands from customers, vehicles and workshops.
The aftermarket in the Middle East and Africa is being shaped by a wider blend of business models, technologies and vehicles, and this year’s edition will reflect that, drawing manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, workshop professionals, fleet operators and buyers. At the show, UK suppliers will find partners, buyers and distributors from across the GCC and beyond. Those contacts could underpin later trade throughout the Gulf as the UK-GCC agreement moves nearer to taking effect. For more information, click here.
