In a prelude to the business aviation community’s anticipated migration to Dubai’s new Al Maktoum International Airport (Dubai World Central, DWC), the 2012 Middle East Business Aviation show was staged there for the first time last month (December 11-13). The event was accommodated in an under-construction terminal that is destined to be used for low-cost airlines, but beginning in 2014 it is due to be housed permanently in a new dedicated exhibition center still under construction as part of the wider Dubai World Central development.

MEBA 2012 was no blockbuster in terms of news announcements. However, it attracted 7,549 trade visitors–a 20-percent increase on the 2010 show–and they were received by 385 exhibitors from 84 countries (a 14-percent increase). There was also evidence of new bizav infrastructure being developed across the Gulf region.