Thanks to recent support from the city’s leaders, Dubai continues to strengthen its offering with significant improvements to its meetings infrastructure and developments of its diverse knowledge base. With these strategic enhancements, the city seeks to cement its position as a leading events destination, and as a hub for international collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Expansion of the Dubai Exhibition Centre
On September 23, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai – approved an €2,6 expansion plan for the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) at EXPO City Dubai.
The expansion will enable Dubai to double the number of large-scale events hosted annually and, once the work is complete, DEC will be the largest purpose-built indoor event venue in the Middle East. These developments come as part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan which aims to enhance the city’s livability, sustainability and economic diversity through urban development initiatives.
The DEC’s expansion is not the only one of its kind. It was also recently announced that Al Maktoum International Airport would undergo a transformation, with the construction of a new €33 billion passenger terminal. Through these projects Dubai seeks to leverage its strategic location as a crossroads for international trade, and solidify its position as a preferred global hub for international exhibitions and conferences.
The master plan for the expansion of the DEC outlines three key phases to accommodate an increasing demand for large-scale venues in the city.
Currently, the DEC has a capacity of 58,000 square metres of exhibition space. Phase 1, slated for completion by 2026, will more than double this – taking the total to 140,000 square metres. Once Phase 2 is complete, which should be by 2028, this will have increased to nearly 160,000 square metres. And by the time Phase 3 – and the expansion as a whole – has finished in 2031, the DEC will house 180,000 square metres of indoor exhibition space.
This vast space will feature 26 halls, positioned on a single continuous level spanning roughly 1.2km, and will be available either for a single “mega event” or 20 simultaneous smaller events. For associations, this versatility allows for the creation of more dynamic, tailored spaces to suit their needs and the size of their events.
When announcing the expansion, HH Sheikh Mohammed said: “This iconic venue will not only become the largest indoor exhibition and events destination in the region but also set new global standards for excellence in the industry. Our events provide platforms for connecting people, ideas, and opportunities from across the globe. They provide the impetus for economic growth, boost tourism, and contribute significantly to advancing our national projects, strengthening Dubai’s growing role as a global economic hub.”
This quotation shows the value that Dubai’s leadership are placing on events and their role in driving the city’s, and the UAE’s, continued economic and social successes.
The Importance of Business Events
Every year, Cvent, the meetings event and hospitality technology provider, releases a list of Top Meeting Destinations, showcasing in-demand meeting destinations around the globe. For the last three years, Dubai has topped the list specific to the Middle East and Africa. This is no accident.
Having garnered a reputation as a premier destination for leisure tourism, Dubai’s leaders – including Sheikh Mohammed – have set their sights on furthering the city’s reputation as a go-to destination for business events.
This should come as no surprise. Studies have shown the global business events industry to be a powerhouse of economic development – contributing $1.6 trillion to the global GDP annually and supporting millions of jobs. Dubai is strategically well placed to access an impactful share of this thriving industry. Located just an eight-hour flight from two-thirds of the world’s population, the city is highly accessible and provides a gateway to emerging markets in a variety of regions, including Oman, Nigeria and Indonesia. This, combined with the city’s multicultural and hospitable population as well as world-class infrastructure, makes Dubai a compelling option for organisations looking to convene members from around the globe.
Associations are increasingly realising how much the city has to offer as an event destination. For 2023, for example, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) named the city as the number one destination in the Middle East by number of association meetings hosted. Prestigious events taking place this year include Critical Communications World CCW 2024, WCA Annual Conference 2024 and the Million Dollar Round Table Global Conference 2024.
The official conference bureau of Dubai, Dubai Business Events (DBE), has been instrumental in attracting such events – in part thanks to their successful Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme. The initiative identifies and supports UAE-based thought leaders and government representatives in attracting association events within their sector to Dubai.
These events are helping to fuel Dubai’s rapidly growing knowledge sector and economic ambitions. In addition to helping cement Dubai’s image as one of the world’s most business-friendly destinations, events are having a tangible impact on job creation. In 2023, events hosted at the Dubai World Trade Centre alone supported almost 70,000 jobs in Dubai, with a collective disposable household income of nearly €910 million.
A New University in Dubai
On September 9 this year, HH Sheikh Mohammed announced the establishment of Dubai National University, with an investment of €1.17 billion. Part of Dubai Social Agenda 33 – which strives to improve the social well-being of the Emirati people – the university’s foundation aims to create a new generation of Emirati professionals and leaders, while enhancing Dubai’s position as a global hub for scientific research.
Dubai National University will offer specialised programmes and has set itself a target of ranking among the top 50 young universities in the next decade, and in the top 200 global universities within the next 20 years. On the foundation of the university, HH Sheikh Mohammed had this to say: “We are not just building a university; we are building a future that transcends borders. Our goal is to establish a knowledge centre that will be a beacon for science, a hub for youth, and a resource for the future.”
HH Sheikh Hamdan added to this, saying, “Dubai National University will develop local talent, attract global expertise, and foster academic collaboration with institutions, research centres, and experts worldwide, embodying Dubai’s dynamic innovation ecosystem.”
International partnerships are clearly at the forefront of the university’s agenda, and it has already formed a Global Advisory Board. The board’s role is to help foster connections and collaboration with the international academic and scientific community, and propose new research areas and programmes for the university.
For associations focused on knowledge exchange, the formation of this new university furthers Dubai’s appeal as an event destination. In years to come, the university, its academic leaders and students can be leveraged to enhance the programming of events hosted in the city – as well as providing access to cutting-edge research facilities and unique networking opportunities that can enrich the attendee experience.
Planting Seeds of Innovation
Dubai’s intellectual offerings play a central role in attracting events, and their knowledge capital is ever-growing. Amid efforts to diversify their economy beyond oil, in 2024 the UAE made a significant leap in Kearney’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index, moving from 18th place to 8th. In Dubai, sectors such as healthcare and pharmaceuticals, energy and cleantech, as well as technology and ICT continue to grow at rapid rates – fuelled by support from the city’s government.
On September 15th, HH Sheikh Hamadan bin Mohammed bin Rasihid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation, approved the launch of the “Dubai Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Grant Initiative”. This programme seeks to provide funding for a range of research projects, driving progress in some of the city’s key economic sectors.
The Dubai RDI Grant will support 20 research projects in the Life Sciences and Cognitive Cities arenas. Cognitive Cities refers to urban environments that leverage advanced technology, AI and Big Data to improve the management of these spaces and the quality of life for their residents. Examples of initiatives in this space funded by the Dubai RDI grant include work in Smart Mobility, PropTech and Traffic Management.
Upon the announcement of the initiative, HH Sheikh Hamdan said: “With the launch of this initiative, we aim to make Dubai amongst the most future-ready cities in the world, and the most prepared to harness scientific research to achieve impactful accomplishments”.
“Dubai will become a destination of choice for regional and international scientists and researchers. To achieve this goal, we must strengthen collaboration and partnerships between the public and private sectors, as well as universities and research institutions.”
As the relationship between these various bodies strengthens, the innovation ecosystem in Dubai will continue to develop – adding to the value that the city can provide for associations that host events there.
Looking to the Future
With all these developments, in both intellectual capital and infrastructure, Dubai clearly has a long-term vision for their place in the meetings industry. With this comes their concern for the future of the planet, and the city is taking steps to ensure that sustainability remains central to their planning.
Initiatives like Dubai Can – the phasing out of single-use plastic water bottles – and the Dubai Sustainable Tourism Stamp, which recognises the efforts of hotels to improve their sustainability practices, demonstrate a consideration for the issue on a city-level. And these same values permeate the MICE industry, with Expo City Dubai being designed as a blueprint for sustainable developments.
Through incorporating green initiatives like this, and with the huge investments into the city’s venues and innovation ecosystem, Dubai will continue to cement itself as a leading hub for business events and a top choice for associations looking to host memorable and impactful gatherings.
Hold your next event in Dubai and visit www.dubaibusinessevents.com