The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), a non-profit representing compelling places and experiences worldwide, has released the agenda for TEA SATE Europe & Middle East 2026, its signature event in the Middle East.
The event will take place from 25 to 27 March at Dubai Parks and Resorts, hosted in partnership with IAAPA.
It will welcome TEA members, leaders, creators, and decision-makers who are actively shaping destinations, attractions, and experiences across Europe, the Middle East, and beyond.
To see the full agenda and register to attend, please click here.
Inspiring mix of lineup and location
TEA SATE Europe & Middle East 2026 will gather the international themed entertainment community for two days of thought leadership, networking, and partnership on the theme Rooted in Place, Designed for the World.
This theme will be explored in a region with strong roots in all four SATE ideals: storytelling, architecture, technology, and experience.
TEA has carefully curated a lineup of internationally recognised leaders who will share their experiences and insights with SATE EME attendees.
Among these speakers is Noble Coker from the Diriyah Experience. In his presentation, The Diriyah Experience: Real Connections in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Coker will discuss the importance of physical experiences in creating emotional connections for and with guests.
Destinations often focus on the design and build elements that represent their narratives, heritage, culture, or values, yet this is rarely mentioned when describing the authentic emotional connections created during visits.
At Diriyah, the culturally rooted destination has created authentic connections with millions of visitors and quantified the origins and drivers of those connections. Coker will share Diriyah’s journey, its unique system for delivering experiences, and research suggesting this could be replicated at other destinations.
Fernando Eiroa, CEO of Dubai Holding Entertainment, is also speaking at the event. Eiroa’s global leadership experience spans more than 20 countries and includes some of the world’s most vibrant entertainment organisations.
The lineup will also feature Amr Abdelfattah, Adirondack Studios Middle East; Hector Caiazza, PGAV Destinations; Maris Ensing, Mad Systems Inc.; Dawn Foote, Katapult; Hind Galadari, Miral Experiences LLC; Melissa Oviedo of Themed Entertainment Association; and Brad Shelton of BRC Imagination Arts, among many others.
Recently, TEA announced the release of the Global Experience Index, which shows stable, growing markets worldwide for theme parks, water parks, and museums in 2024.
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