International Trademark Association to Hold 2026 Annual Meeting in Dubai

New York, New York—May 17, 2023—The International Trademark Association (INTA) has announced that it will hold its 148^th Annual Meeting, the largest gathering of brand owners and intellectual property professionals, academics, and government officials, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from May 16 to May 20, 2026.

INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo made the announcement during the Association’s Annual Meeting Live+ Opening Ceremonies today in Singapore, the second Annual Meeting to be held in Asia. The event drew more than 8,000 brand professionals, government officials, business leaders, and academics from 140 countries to the in-person gathering.

In 2014 INTA’s Board of Directors approved a rotation strategy to host the Annual Meeting in a location outside the United States every third year and this marks the first time INTA will host its Annual Meeting in the Middle East. It is not the first INTA gathering in Dubai; previous events include the 2017 Membership Road Show and Free Trade Zone workshop, as well as the 2018 Middle East and Africa Conference.

The process of choosing a host city for the Annual Meeting is one that is multi-years long and is as logistically complex as the global membership the Association serves.

The Meeting will take place at the Dubai World Trade Center. It is equipped with the necessary space and technology the Association requires for its programming, with ample food options and in-house technology and exhibition suppliers. Dubai is also a regional travel hub with direct flights from points around the globe. As an international destination, the city boasts abundant cuisine; scenic desert, sea, and modern city vistas; with inexpensive taxi service available for inter-city movement.

An international city in which ex-pats are the majority, Dubai boasts a wide variety of hotel options and English is spoken widely. It is also a sustainable city where vaccinations and other health precautions earn it high ratings. The UAE is home to INTA corporate members, associate members, and the Association has fostered a strong and productive relationship with the country’s government. INTA also has a newly appointed consultant based in the region to focus on Middle East issues and there are strong member champions firmly entrenched in the regional IP community.

Dubai ranks first in the Middle East and North Africa cities and 14^th in the world in the Innovative Cities Index for 2023, up from number 23 in 2021. There is an extraordinary focus on growing itself into a leader in innovation, with government spending and private sector investment contributing to create an innovation ecosystem that has start-ups, entrepreneurs, and those who invest in them taking notice.

“We are most thrilled to deepen our collaboration with INTA, an organization with which we share so many goals advancing intellectual property for brands and consumers alike. Dubai is easily accessible, with one-third of the world’s population able to reach the city within a four-hour flight and two-thirds able to access it in less than eight hours. We are honored to host the first Annual Meeting in our region and look forward to welcoming the global IP community to Dubai in 2026,” said the Chair of EIPA, HE Major General Dr. Abdel Qudous Al-Obaidli.

“As a global IP Association, INTA is thrilled to bring its 2026 Annual Meeting to Dubai, one of the leading cities in the world. From its constantly thriving culture to its incredible success in the business world, Dubai is a must for INTA as its next international Annual Meeting venue,” declared INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo.

About the International Trademark Association
The International Trademark Association (INTA) is a global association of brand owners and professionals dedicated to supporting trademarks and complementary intellectual property (IP) to foster consumer trust, economic growth, and innovation, and committed to building a better society through brands. Members include nearly 6,000 organizations, representing more than 33,500 individuals (trademark owners, professionals, and academics) from 181 countries, who benefit from the Association’s global trademark resources, policy development, education and training, and international network. Founded in 1878, INTA is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Beijing, Brussels, Santiago, Singapore, and the Washington, D.C., Metro Area, and representatives in Amman and New Delhi. For more information, visit inta.org.

Contact:
Elizabeth Bogner
Senior Strategist, Communications
212-642-1770
[email protected]