The international trade calendar for 2026 is poised to feature a series of high-profile exhibitions and forums that will attract business leaders, investors and policymakers from across the world.
Foremost among these is the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona, organised by the GSM Association (GSMA).
Scheduled to take place from March 2-5 at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, Spain, this annual trade show is widely regarded as the world’s largest event dedicated to mobile communications and connectivity technologies.
MWC Barcelona regularly draws more than 100 000 industry professionals and serves as a platform for major product launches and high-level discussions on trends such as 5G, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, making it one of the most influential gatherings in the technology and communications sectors.
The event’s scale and international reach position it as a key benchmark for global digital industry developments, much of it directly related to logistics and supply chain.
In Africa, the Global Trade Review (GTR) Africa 2026 conference is set to return to Cape Town on March 12-13.
Hosted at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), GTR Africa is regarded as a premier forum for stakeholders in trade finance, supply chain, infrastructure and commodity finance across the continent.
The two-day event brings together hundreds of delegates and expert speakers to discuss current trends and opportunities in African trade markets, Southern African Association for the Conference Industry and Global Trade Review says.
Turning to the Asia-Pacific region, EXPO REAL Asia Pacific 2026 will take place from June 15-17 at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre in Singapore.
This will be the inaugural Asia-Pacific edition of the major B2B real estate and infrastructure investment fair, organised by MMI Asia under the Messe München banner.
The event aims to meet rising demand for infrastructure investment throughout the region and is expected to draw significant participation from developers, financiers and policymakers, German trade-fair organizer Messe München says.
Another important fixture in the global trade calendar is CHINAPLAS 2026, the long-established international plastics and rubber industry exhibition.
The 38th edition of this event will be held from April 21-24 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Hongqiao, Shanghai, China.
Recognised as one of the largest trade fairs in the plastics and rubber sector, Chinaplas Online claim the gathering regularly attracts thousands of exhibitors and hundreds of thousands of professional visitors, serving as a global hub for material suppliers, equipment manufacturers and industry innovators.
