Dubai Airshow 2021

The 2021 Dubai Airshow was by far one of the most exciting events of the year for the aerospace industry. This year's showing was inspiring for all involved because it was the first significant event to be held without Covid-19 restrictions.

From private jet charters to stunning military aircraft displays, this was the premier event for everyone in the aviation industry to see and be seen. The event also hosted more than 50 hours of amazing thought leadership content.

Mirai Flights was incredibly excited to be a part of this year's exhibition. We brought our premier private jet booking services to showcase, but we also made many exciting and valuable connections with leading players from around the globe.

A Few Key Takeaways From the 2021 Dubai Airshow Exhibition

1. Earnings are up.

Across the board, we found that everyone had quite a profitable year. From charter flights to private jet rentals, we learned that there was an industry-wide uptick in overall profits throughout our attendance.

In most cases, aviation businesses are earning roughly 30 percent more than they were in the pre-pandemic days!

Based on what we have seen both during the Dubai Airshow and after, we expect this profitability trend and eagerness to push forward into the future to last for at least another year or two.

2. A new breed of consumer is here to stay.

Covid brought a new demographic of people looking for ways to book a private jet instantly and affordably. People with disposable income who had never given private jet booking a second thought are now lifelong converts.

This is an excellent development for Mirai Flights, as it opens a lot of doors for us to better serve an even broader demographic in the future. Our services allow patrons to book flights instantly and effortlessly, so as Covid restrictions fluctuate, we will be able to offer a safe and convenient alternative.

3. The aviation industry is lively and ready to do business.

This year was one of the liveliest and most interesting exhibitions the Mirai Flights team has attended. The pandemic has left us all primed for parties, meetings, and any other face-to-face interaction we can squeeze into an event. Everyone was ready to push up their sleeves, jump straight into negotiations and get business done.

We made lots of meaningful connections with other industry professionals, strengthened ties with existing partners, and even signed a few new contracts. These types of transactions usually move slowly, so such a spirited and open level of communication shows that great things are ahead for the private jet industry.

Quick Tips For Making the Most of Your Next Exhibition Attendance

Regardless of your industry, there are a handful of things that your company can do to ensure that you get the most possible gain from your time at an exhibition.

In this ongoing era of Covid, businesses can't afford to waste time or resources by not planning their in-person connections wisely.

1. Bring something exciting to the table.

Whenever possible, use an exhibition as the springboard for launching a new product, feature or branding change.

There are three reasons for this:

First, you're already in front of your target audience, so you're maximizing attention. Second, you're perfectly poised to have plenty of media coverage. Third, this gives attendees the ability to experience the launch firsthand and ask questions right away.

You get to double-dip their attention by giving them exclusive live access during the show and also giving them insider news to share with friends and colleagues when they leave.

2. Pay attention to the competition.

It's essential to focus on delivering a good showing, but it's just as important to use exhibitions as a chance to see what competitors are doing. Exhibitions are the perfect opportunity to study the competition's marketing strategies, product offerings and business plan.

Block out time every day to visit the booths of direct competitors, and take notes that can be used for later examination and comparison.

3. Prioritize mobility above everything else.

Before submitting a booth application, take a long, hard look at what you plan to offer. For example, we were only offering a service to book a private jet instantly in the early days.

In this case, we don't have anything flashy and attention-grabbing to show, so do we really need to tie up team members and resources by opening a dedicated booth? No! In our early stages, it was more important for us to be mobile, agile and able to "meet on our feet."

Instead of tethering ourselves to an exhibit booth, we went to shows to connect, get our name out there and learn from industry experts.

Remember: Every moment of an event is valuable, and mobility is the key to success.

4. Don't skip the afterparty.

A surprising number of people think that their work is done once the expo closes up for the day!

There are always evening events to attend! Make a point to find out where the best ones are being held, and plan to show up dressed to impress and ready to shake hands and kiss babies (or at least give them a business card).

These events tend to be more relaxed, so they're prime opportunities to make casual conversation that can later be leveraged to establish a mutually beneficial relationship.

5. Turn those business cards into business connections.

Keep every business card you get, and ask for one if it's not offered. Then, once you're back in the office, it's time to roll up your sleeves and start the critical work of making follow-ups.

Even if you're offering private jet booking and you're looking at a business card for someone who sells individual business jets, don't toss the card. Yes, it might seem unrelated now, but it's worth the small time investment to try to make a connection with that person in case one of your situations changes in the future. Suddenly, that person might be a prime partner for you!

Looking Forward to 2023

The next Dubai Airshow is scheduled for 2023 and will be held in the United States or Switzerland. We are eagerly anticipating attendance, so watch this space to see what Mirai Flights will be bringing to the aviation industry between now and then.