THE International Association of Public Transport (UITP) has confirmed that the next edition of its Summit, due to be hosted by RTA Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on April 21-23, has been cancelled.
The association says that “after careful assessment of the evolving situation in the Gulf region and its impact on international travel, [it] has taken the difficult decision to cancel the 2026 UITP Summit.”
“As an organisation that always puts people first, the safety and wellbeing of our delegates, partners, and colleagues is our main responsibility,” UITP said in a statement on March 10.
“With many national authorities recommending to avoid non-essential travel to the region, the decision to cancel the 2026 edition has come after careful consideration by UITP’s executive board.
“We will continue to connect and collaborate with our members around the world and are currently exploring alternative opportunities to share key content, facilitate networking and maintain engagement with our community.”
The event in Dubai was the first of the now annual UITP Summit. The event has traditionally been held every two years, and was first arranged in 1886.
Last year’s Summit was held in Hamburg and the event will return to the German city on June 14-17 2027. Hong Kong’s MTR confirmed on February 26 that it had been chosen to host the event in 2028, the first time the global gathering will take place in the Asia-Pacific region.
