Dubai is the first in the world to attract new foreign direct investment projects in cultural and creative industries during 2024

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Head of the Culture and Arts Authority in Dubai, confirmed that Dubai’s continued enhancing its competitiveness and leadership and consolidating its position as a global center for the creative economy, reflects the depth and uniqueness of the visions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God bless him, where the emirate exported the number of foreign investment projects in cultural and creative industries in the cultural and creative industries. For the year 2024, according to the “FDI Markets” report issued by the Financial Times, the most prominent source in the world’s new direct investment projects, and to classify the data of the “Creative Industries Group” of the same report.

Dubai maintained its position as the best global destination in attracting new foreign direct investment projects in the cultural and creative industries for the third year in a row, among the 233 cities that were classified within the report, superior to important global cities such as: London and Singapore, and these results came after monitoring the performance of the emirate in the sub -sectors that fall within the system of cultural and creative industries, as the emirate succeeded in attracting 971 projects in the cultural and creative industries sector during the year 2024, and the total increase in direct foreign investment project flows in the sector to 18.86 billion dirhams, which contributed to providing 23,517 new job opportunities in the sector.

These results came as a fruit for flexible government policies in support of investment and their impact on enhancing foreign direct investment flows in cultural and creative industries, and enhancing Dubai’s attractiveness as a preferred destination for investors, entrepreneurs, owners of initiatives and innovative projects. Among those attractive policies is the decision of the Executive Council No. (11) of 2025 issued by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, recently regarding the organization of practicing free zones facilities for its activities within the Emirate of Dubai, which allows the way for free zones facilities to expand its business outside the free zone, provided that they obtain the necessary permits from the Economy Department And tourism in Dubai, as the decision corresponds to the ambitious goals of the Dubai Economic Agency (D33), which focuses on building a dynamic business system in line with the vision of the wise leadership to improve the level of competitive advantages and improve the efficiency of local and international business companies in the city.

The “ZGB) program also contributed to simplifying and reducing governmental procedures and canceling unnecessary procedures and requirements in government work, in raising the levels of efficiency, quality and government flexibility in the state. The launch of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, “Dubai Culture”, at the beginning of this year, for the “International Technical Exhibitions Scholarship” initiative, also had an impact on supporting local art galleries and enhancing its participation in international events.

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum pointed out that Dubai’s unique strategies and advanced policies contributed to enhancing its cultural and economic diversity, and made it a link in the global economy and a land to achieve success, and one of the best cities in the world to live, work and visit, and said: “Dubai succeeded thanks to the thought of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his ambitious strategic vision, in establishing a system An innovative cultural, managed to attract the best competencies and talents around the world, and made it a creative incubator and a center for creative energies, as the emirate sought through its qualitative plans and initiatives to stimulate the spirit of innovation among the members of the creative community, investors and entrepreneurs, and to meet their requirements and provide the opportunities and facilities they need to encourage them to convert their ideas into successful projects, and contribute to enriching the cultural scene Local.

Her Highness praised the efforts that contributed to the upgrading of Dubai to the global forefront in foreign direct investment in the cultural and creative industries sector, saying: “Foreign investment represents a engine of economic growth, as it paves the way for a comprehensive and sustainable development renaissance, and its results reflect the emirate of a prominent position on the international cultural map, as it still continues its superiority over global cities thanks to the power Its infrastructure and strategic location, and its investment ingredients that have contributed to supporting the strength of cultural and creative industries that are a basic pillar of the creative economy, and strengthened its capabilities and position one of the fastest and most attractive cities in the world to investments and minds.

His Highness the Head of the Culture and Arts Authority in Dubai indicated that the emirate’s distinction in technological and innovative capabilities, the efficiency of legal and regulatory frameworks, the ease of transfer of capital inside and outside the country, the transparency of government regimes and anti -corruption efforts, and the protection of investor rights and property rights, helped to turn them into a major destination for trade, tourism and investment.

Continuous growth

According to the Dubai Observatory’s Foreign Investment Data issued by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism in accordance with the Dubai Cultural Statistics Framework, the emirate succeeded in attracting 971 projects in the cultural and creative industries sector during the year 2024, which represents an increase of 8% compared to the previous year by 898 projects, and this led to a high total flow of capital money directly directly in the sector to 18.86 billion AED, an increase of about 60%. It also contributed to the provision of 23,517 new job opportunities through these projects in 2024, which represents an increase of 9% compared to 2023.

This growth comes in line with Dubai’s efforts to enhance economic diversification, as it included the sub -sectors that led this expansion of foreign direct investment advertising and public relations, specialized computer programming services, education in cultural and creative industries, commercial services for cultural and creative industries, film, media, electronic games, advanced software design including artificial intelligence And machine learning, cloud solutions, manufacture of coatings and adhesive materials.

Within the classification of the most prominent five -year -old countries in direct foreign investment flows in the cultural and creative industries sector to Dubai during the year 2024, data of the “Dubai Investment Observatory” showed according to the Dubai Cultural Statistics Framework, the growth of the flow of foreign direct investment capital, where the United States of America topped the list of countries invested in this sector in Dubai by 23.2%, followed by: India by 13.4%, and the United Kingdom 9.4%, and Switzerland by 7.6%, as well as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with 4.8%. While India topped the list of foreign direct investment projects in 2024 in the field of cultural and creative industries by 18.8%, followed by the United Kingdom by 16.3%, the United States of America by 14.2%, Germany by 4.2%, and Italy by 3.7%, which reflects Dubai’s efforts and strategies for this sector and its focus on these markets as main partners. India also topped the list within the category of new job opportunities through foreign investment in cultural and creative industries projects by 18.5%, followed by the United States of America by 14.6%, the United Kingdom by 13.6%, Germany by 4.3%, and France by 4%.

On the other hand, the Dubai Investment Observatory and the Dubai Framework for Cultural Statistics indicated that the percentage of new investment projects (fully owned) reached 76.5%, while new investment types projects constituted 15.4%, while the percentage of investment projects reached 5.6%, and the percentage of integration and acquisition projects reached 2.4%of the total number of foreign direct investment projects in the sectors registered during 2024.

Strategic pillar

Hilal Saeed Al -Murri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism said: “Dubai World leadership in attracting new foreign direct investment projects, including cultural and creative industries, is the product of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and thanks to the careful implementation of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. And with our efforts to enhance Dubai’s position as one of the best 3 economic cities in the world, we realize that the creative economy is a pillar A strategy to advance growth, as it enhances competitiveness and innovation levels, and establishes Dubai’s position as an attractive destination for global talents and international investments.

He added, “This sector is distinguished by its ability to integrate with other vital sectors with a large impact, such as media, advanced industries and tourism, because of the presence of clear organizational regulations and strong frameworks to protect intellectual property rights, and adopt advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, which provides a wider economic value.”

For her part, Hala Badri, General Manager of “Dubai Culture”, pointed out that Dubai exports the index of the number of foreign direct investment projects that reflects its flexibility and its distinguished investment environment and stimulating creativity, as well as highlighting the strength of its legislation and legal frameworks that paved the way to establish a sophisticated cultural system capable of attracting entrepreneurs and talent owners from all over the world. She said: “Dubai continues to consolidate its leadership as one of the most prominent global foreign investment centers in cultural and creative industries, thanks to its future aspirations and its ability to diversify its economic sources, and is distinguished Creative in the Emirate’s GDP to 5% by 2026.

She emphasized the “Dubai Culture” keenness to open horizons for investors, entrepreneurs and creators, and to enable them to invest in cultural and creative industries, which was evident in the results of the “Dubai Creative Report: Explining the Future Prospects of Creativity” launched by the authority at the end of last year, with the aim of providing an analytical reading of the creative economy in the emirate, and its capabilities and various investment opportunities.

It is noteworthy that Dubai excels in attracting global creative investments, reflects the importance of its investment environment, the development of its organizational framework, and its commitment to enhancing innovation, and with the continued rapid growth in this sector, the emirate continues to attract global capital, and to enhance the cultural scene, which establishes its position as a global center for the creative economy.