Organizers of the MEBAA show say the 2024 gathering of the Middle East’s business aviation industry will include multiple new features as it looks to build on the 2022 event that achieved a 56% increase in visitors. The 10th edition of the biennial event will be staged from December 10 to 12 at the Dubai World Central site used for the Dubai Airshow.
According to the Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA), which promotes the show, the region continues to be a key driver of growth that is expected to see the global industry increase in value to $62.6 billion in 2030 (up from $42.1 billion in 2022). Over this period, the group says private aviation traffic growth in the region is set to increase 10% year-on-year for the rest of this decade.
Most of the major aircraft manufacturers have already committed to exhibiting in Dubai this December, including Boeing, Dassault, Bombardier, and Embraer. Leading operators and service providers have also signed up, such as Empire Aviation, DC Aviation, VistaJet, and Saudia Private.
Features for the 2024 event will include the Bizav Talks conference covering themes including sustainability, emerging technologies, market trends, and supply chain challenges. There will also be the Operators Program for “business matchmaking” and a new Bizav Social event on the evening of day two.
Organizers are introducing the new VISTA start-up hub that has been trialed at the main Dubai Airshow. This will give new market entrants a focused platform for showcasing their products and is set to include companies from the advanced air mobility sector. Another new aspect of the MEBAA show will be the NextGen Leaders forum, with a program curated by students.
“The business aviation industry continues to see strong demand and as a result, we are witnessing substantial investment in market infrastructure and ancillary products and services, along with the addition of new aircraft,” commented Ali Alnaqbi, founding and executive chairman of MEBAA. “The MEBAA show aims to be a leader in the development of our industry, and is delighted to be bringing local, regional, and international stakeholders from across the business and private aviation landscape to Dubai, ready to chart the way forward and collectively shape the future of our industry.”