These accomplishments reinforced the Centre’s position as one of the region’s leading exhibition and conference venues, while further strengthening Sharjah’s position as a premier global destination for business tourism and specialised economic and commercial events.

The commemoration ceremony, held at Expo Centre Sharjah’s headquarters, was attended by His Excellency Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO of Expo Centre Sharjah; and His Excellency Mahmoud Youssef Al-Jarrah, Secretary-General of the Arab Union for International Exhibitions and Conferences (AUIEC); alongside department heads, executive managers, and employees of the Centre.

During the first half of 2026, Expo Centre Sharjah sustained strong growth momentum, attracting more than 500,000 visitors across over 30 sector-focused economic, commercial, and community events. These events brought together around 1,900 exhibitors from 45 countries and formed part of an annual calendar comprising 95 exhibitions and events spanning a wide range of key sectors.

A packed exhibition calendar

Throughout the first half of the year, Expo Centre Sharjah delivered a robust portfolio of specialised exhibitions and events serving strategic sectors such as manufacturing, real estate, jewellery, agriculture, retail, and entrepreneurship.

Among the key events were SteelFab 2026, a leading exhibition for the metalworking industry, ACRES 2026, Jewels of Emirates Show, Ramadan Nights, and Al Dhaid Agriculture Exhibition. The Centre also hosted the Eid Al Adha Exhibition, which attracted strong visitor turnout, in addition to a diverse lineup of commercial and community-focused events held at Expo Al Dhaid and Expo Khorfakkan.

Leading position

His Excellency Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO of Expo Centre Sharjah, remarked that the Global Exhibitions Day provides an important annual platform to highlight the contribution of the exhibitions industry to sustainable economic growth, opportunity creation, and the expansion of partnerships among businesses and investors.

He noted that the H1 2026 achievements underscores the increasingly significant role of Expo Centre Sharjah in in strengthening the emirate’s position as a leading regional and international hub for exhibitions and conferences.

“These achievements are the result of a clearly defined strategic vision centred on enhancing operational excellence, improving efficiency, and expanding the portfolio of specialised exhibitions across key economic sectors, in line with the needs of the business community and the emirate’s broader competitiveness objectives,” Al Midfa added.

He explained that Expo Sharjah’s accomplishments coincide with the UAE’s continued rise as a global destination for the meetings and events industry. The UAE ranked first in the Middle East and 31st globally in the 2025 Country and City Rankings Report issued by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).

Al Midfa said that this ranking reflects the strength of the UAE’s meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) infrastructure and its capacity to attract major international events. He added that Expo Centre Sharjah remains a key contributor to this momentum as it continuously enhances the exhibitions ecosystem, strengthens international partnerships, and expands a portfolio of high-value specialised events.

Strategic international partnerships

On the international cooperation front, Expo Centre Sharjah continued to strengthen its global engagement strategy by expanding its network of partnerships with leading organisations and stakeholders in the exhibitions and conferences sector. The Centre welcomed numerous official and business delegations and held bilateral meetings with exhibition organisers and international economic institutions, including UK-based IMEX Group and Germany's Messe Essen.

These engagements focused on exchanging best practices, exploring cooperation opportunities, and attracting more international events to the Emirate of Sharjah. The Centre also prioritised the expansion of its strategic partnerships with local and international organisations to support the advancement and global competitiveness of the exhibitions industry.

Specialised flagship events

Expo Centre Sharjah is set to host a robust lineup of specialised exhibitions the second half of 2026. These include the 57th edition of the Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show, which will take place from 10 to 14 June 2026 with the participation of around 400 exhibitors from 19 countries.

The Centre’s H2 2026 calendar also includes the Emirates Perfumes and Oud Exhibition, Middle East Cosmetics Show, Evolve Future Mobility Show, and the International Education Show. Beyond these flagship events, the Centre will continue to host a broad range of economic, commercial, and consumer-focused exhibitions, alongside seasonal retail events that support commercial activity and consumer engagement across the emirate.