Middle East conflict triggers unprecedented disruption to global business events

The global events industry faced an unsettling week.

Escalating conflict in the Gulf has already begun disrupting international business travel and major events, raising fresh concerns about how geopolitical instability can ripple through the meetings and exhibitions sector.

In this week’s edition of Snöcap, we look at how the conflict is affecting global event hubs, alongside other major industry developments.

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Middle East conflict triggers unprecedented disruption to global business events

Escalating military conflict across the Gulf has caused the most significant disruption to the business events industry since the COVID-19 pandemic, raising urgent questions about the long-term reputational damage to one of the world’s fastest-growing event destinations.

The strikes have targeted multiple Gulf states and quickly undermined the region’s standing as a neutral hub for international business. Airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi sustained damage, grounding Emirates and Qatar Airways on March 2 and effectively shutting down two of the world’s largest global transit hubs. The disruptions rippled far beyond the Gulf: delegations to Mobile World Congress began withdrawing from multiple regions, and at least two events have been postponed or cancelled outright.

Affiliate World Global Dubai, scheduled for March 4-5 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, was pushed to spring 2027, with organizers citing safety concerns and the closure of UAE airports. A second event, Mixed Game Festival XIII, was cancelled not because its Las Vegas venue was affected, but because the organizer was stranded in the Middle East and unable to travel to the show.

Beyond the immediate disruptions, industry observers say the deeper concern is what comes next. Event organizers without war or terrorism clauses in their insurance policies face significant financial exposure, and the prospect of attendees being unable to leave a destination mid-conflict has emerged as a central worry for anyone weighing whether to proceed with Gulf-based events through mid-year. Past incidents in the region show that rebuilding confidence in tourism can take several years – and that impact rarely stays contained to the countries directly involved, with neighboring destinations often absorbing significant drops in arrivals as well.

UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry, issued a public statement of solidarity, calling on the industry to uphold the values of “dialogue, connection, and international cooperation” in moments of uncertainty. The Gulf states have world-class venues, strong government support and a demonstrated commitment to international events, but recovery will depend heavily on how the industry, organizers, venues and tourism authorities respond in the months ahead.

Terrapinn acquires key memory and storage event to strengthen tech portfolio

Terrapinn has acquired FMS: the Future of Memory and Storage from Conference Concepts Inc., adding the Santa Clara-based event to its global technology portfolio.

FMS has connected semiconductor manufacturers, system architects, and hyper-scalers for two decades, evolving from its origins as the Flash Memory Summit under Lance Leventhal and Chip Stockton, principals of Conference Concepts Inc.

“We are absolutely delighted to announce the acquisition of Future of Memory and Storage,” said Terrapinn CEO Greg Hitchen. “FMS is a significant addition to our global portfolio of technology events.”

Stockton, President of Conference Concepts Inc., said the time was right to move on. “We have created a really important event for the memory and storage community and have carefully nurtured it over many years. But we now feel it is the right time to pass it on to a larger company for its next phase of growth.”

The acquisition comes as the sector grapples with what organizers describe as an “unprecedented mismatch” between supply and demand, driven by AI expansion and rising demand for High-Bandwidth Memory technology.

FMS 2026 is scheduled for Aug. 4–6 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, featuring a multi-stream conference, large-scale exhibition, and Technical Pro Series. Conference Concepts Inc. was advised by John McGovern of Grimes McGovern & Associates.

China and the US ranked most attractive exhibition markets in new study by jwc

China and the US have topped a new country-level attractiveness ranking for exhibition markets published by events industry consultancy jwc, with France placing third ahead of Germany. Spain, Italy, the UAE, India, The Netherlands, and Singapore complete the top ten.

The ranking applies a multidimensional framework assessing demand fundamentals, competitive dynamics, venue capacity, ecosystem readiness, and business conditions, with three segment rankings also published to highlight distinct market strengths.

In the market-driven segment, which prioritizes size and growth outlook, India ranks first, followed by China and the US. The competition-driven segment is led by China, followed by Bahrain and Kuwait. Singapore tops the ecosystem-driven segment, with Spain and Germany following.

“These segment rankings show why simplified headline league tables can be misleading,” said Jochen Witt, executive Chairman at jwc. “Markets can be highly attractive for very different reasons. Some benefit from sheer scale, others from competitive openness or ecosystem maturity. A multidimensional approach makes those trade-offs visible rather than averaging them away.”

Lorenzo Garbujo, jwc project lead, added: “The findings reinforce that market attractiveness depends on strategic objectives. Organisers face multiple options and this framework is designed to guide them in prioritising markets.”

The rankings appear as a new section in jwc’s latest GIPR report.

Nineteen Group names Melissa Ooi as VP of newly-acquired Reliabilityweb portfolio

Nineteen Group has named Melissa Ooi as Vice President of its Reliabilityweb portfolio following the company’s acquisition of the asset management and maintenance events business.

Reliabilityweb operates events including the International Maintenance Conference, MaximoWorld, and The Reliability Conference, alongside year-round training, certification, and membership programs targeting asset-intensive industries.

Mary Larkin, President of Nineteen Group Americas, said the hire signals the company’s intent to grow its U.S. footprint. “Reliabilityweb has built one of the most respected communities in the reliability and maintenance sector,” she said. “This appointment reflects our commitment to investing in the portfolio as we expand in the U.S. and deepen our presence in manufacturing and industrial markets. Melissa brings the operational leadership and commercial focus to scale the business while preserving what makes Reliabilityweb unique and valuable to its community.”

Ooi, who brings leadership experience from across the international events and event technology sectors, said the move aligned with her professional focus. “Joining Nineteen as Vice President marks an exciting new chapter. Nineteen’s expansion plans in the U.S. align strongly with my passion for scaling and building high-impact event businesses. I’m excited to apply my experience to deliver commercially strong, community-led events.”

In the role, Melissa will oversee strategy and execution across the portfolio, with priorities including growing core events, improving partner outcomes, and broadening year-round engagement.

Who is hiring?

Goldman Sachs Asset & Wealth Management, Marketing: Events Marketing, Associate / Vice President

AQR Capital Management Event Specialist, Associate

Servicenow Director, Global Webinars & Virtual Experiences

The American Institute of Architects Events Specialist

S&P Global Event Marketing Manager

Invesco Senior Events Manager, Southern Europe

Confluent Director, Event Strategy

Association for Corporate Growth Event and Conferences Manager

Nielsen Senior Director, Experiences & Events