Arab Health 2023 preview and the return of the European Pavilion

One month before Arab Health 2023 opened in Dubai, organisers announced an enlarged exhibition footprint, a return of the dedicated European Pavilion and new programming centred on healthcare transformation and intelligent technologies. Ross Williams, Exhibition Director at Informa Markets, outlined what participants should expect and the role European innovators will play. The event ran from 30 January to 2 February 2023 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

What is new at Arab Health 2023

Compared with the pandemic-affected edition in 2022, Arab Health 2023 was marketed as a much bigger show. Organisers added five additional halls to accommodate hundreds of further exhibitors. New programming focused on digital transformation and start-ups alongside traditional medical devices and consumables.

Arab Health retained a heavy educational component. The venue hosted 10 live CME accredited conferences with more than 500 speakers. New clinical tracks in 2023 included Internal Medicine, Paediatrics and Anaesthesia and Pain Management. For exhibitors and clinical delegates, those sessions help position the trade fair as both a commercial marketplace and a professional education forum.

A new social and meeting area called The Village was introduced outside Za’abeel Hall 6 near the European Pavilion. It offered private meeting space as well as international food and beverage options intended to support informal meetings and partner discussions after exhibition hours.

Scale and economic claims

Organisers reported that Arab Health 2022 generated about $781 million in business and that 97 percent of surveyed visitors rated the show as an important platform for their business. They also said 96 percent of those respondents expected to return in 2023. Arab Health 2023 was described as sold out with additional floor space added during the year to meet demand.

Those are strong headline numbers that indicate the event's importance for the region. At the same time, trade fair 'business generated' figures often combine different activity types such as immediate deal declarations, pipeline opportunities and procurement intent. Without a published methodology it is hard to compare that $781 million across events or to know how much represented signed contracts versus leads or projected pipeline.

Sustainability and responsible event management

Organisers said they were pursuing a number of sustainability measures. These included a sustainable stand options scheme for exhibitors, locally sourced food and beverage, recyclable carpets and powering the event with renewable energy. They also flagged broader goals such as community engagement, accessibility, diversity and wellbeing. A report on these efforts was released by the organisers ahead of the show.

Such measures matter given the scale and travel footprint of international exhibitions. Sustainable stand design and local supply chains reduce waste and carbon in principle. The critical question is whether organisers and exhibitors set measurable targets and report verified outcomes for energy use, waste diversion and attendee travel emissions.

Practical advice for European innovators exhibiting in Dubai

Ross Williams encouraged exhibitors to use the show’s online networking platform ahead of arrival and to familiarise themselves with the Intelligent Health Pavilion. That is sensible but only a first step. Start-ups and SMEs should set realistic goals for trade fair participation and prepare to work the follow-up rather than count on immediate sales.

Finally organisers and former participants recommended being proactive about communications before the event, booking meetings early, running concise product demos and planning measurable follow-up actions for leads collected on site.

EIC OTF Programme and the European delegation

For the second consecutive year the European Pavilion at Arab Health was organised under the EIC Overseas Trade Fairs (OTF) Programme 2.0. The EIC selected 20 European companies to exhibit in Dubai. Selection criteria included internationalisation objectives, product fit with the trade fair, and considerations such as contribution to EU strategic autonomy and the EU's image as a technology leader.

The delegation participated in a one-day online preparatory workshop on 23 November that covered market context, logistics and business services. Ross Williams briefed the delegation on networking and partnering opportunities at the show. A returning exhibitor, Karol Maryniowski from SDS Optic, described Arab Health as an important window to regional healthcare markets and praised the EIC OTF support for addressing the work and cost of participation.

The EIC OTF Programme is one strand of the European Innovation Council's internationalisation support and its trade fairs programme. The EIC ITF 3.0 initiative runs through 2026 and offers awardees the chance to attend multiple international trade fairs across sectors including biotech, health, cleantech and new industrial technologies.

Implications and caveats for policymakers and sector stakeholders

Arab Health remains a central convening point for healthcare vendors, buyers and clinicians across MENA. For EU policymakers and innovation programme managers the event offers visibility and commercial opportunities for funded companies. The European Pavilion helps signal coordinated market outreach and can reduce barriers for SMEs seeking to internationalise.

At the same time there are limits to what a trade fair can deliver. Converting interest into contracts in regulated health markets typically requires months of follow-up, clinical validation and alignment with procurement cycles. Organisers should continue to provide post-event support metrics and transparent reporting on economic impact to help funders and participants evaluate return on investment.

Practical checklist for exhibitors

Before the show: communicate your attendance, book meetings through organiser platforms, prepare compliant demo environments and bring concise clinical evidence. During the show: focus on targeted meetings, run short live demos, collect structured leads. After the show: follow up within two weeks, qualify leads against procurement timelines and pursue local partnerships for regulatory and distribution support.

Arab Health 2023 offered a larger platform and some new formats aimed at digital and systems-level innovation. For European innovators the event can open doors in a fast-growing region. Success depends on preparation, realistic commercial goals and sustained follow-up rather than a single week on the show floor.