Expo City Dubai consolidates its leading position as a destination for major events

Dubai, December 22nd / WAM / Expo City Dubai crowned a year full of cultural, entertainment and sporting forums and events, during which it attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors and hosted more than 75 prominent events, while the city, along with the neighboring Dubai Exhibition Centre, is preparing to host more conferences, artistic and educational forums and sustainability forums during the year 2026.

The year’s agenda included international events in the fields of cities, sustainability, and clean energy. The city hosted the World Cities Summit with the participation of representatives of more than 300 cities from around the world, attracted more than 1,500 participants, and launched urban investment opportunities worth $9 billion, in addition to specialized events that included the Sustainable Destinations Forum and the thirteenth annual summit of the Clean Energy Business Council.

In this context, Sholto Douglas Home, CEO of Sales, Marketing and Communications at Expo City Dubai, said that Expo City Dubai has established its leading position in hosting and managing events this year, as it was a global platform that brought together pioneers, innovators and change makers. Expo City will continue to build on this momentum to contribute to strengthening Dubai’s leadership position in the conferences, exhibitions and events sectors, taking advantage of its strategic location and its diverse spaces for organizing and hosting events and activities, in addition to the Dubai Exhibition Center, which is expanding at a rapid pace.

In terms of sustainability and biodiversity, Expo City unveiled the first IUCN Species Survival Center dedicated to fungi in Terra, and in January the Terra Pavilion witnessed the visit of the late Dr. Jane Goodall to open the Jane Goodall Pollinator Garden, which promotes awareness of the role of pollinators in the environment.

The city witnessed cultural and community events, including the organization of the “Ramadan Neighborhood”, the second edition of the “Dhi Dubai” exhibition for Emirati light arts, and the national celebrations of Union Day, in addition to the opening of the “House of Art” in partnership with the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, in the former Morocco Pavilion, to host exhibitions, workshops and creative events.

In terms of entertainment experiences, the “Al Wasl Season” kicked off with the Harvest Festival in cooperation with local farms. The city also hosted the Cake Festival, which was held for the first time in the region, followed by the launch of the “Winter City” shows in Al Wasl Square, which recorded 38,000 visitors in its first week. Visitors are looking forward to the “Carols by Candlelight” show under the dome of Al Wasl Square, in addition to the New Year’s Eve atmosphere that includes live entertainment, music, and a countdown at two times at 09:00 p.m. And at midnight.

Regarding women’s empowerment, the Women’s Wing continued its programs through the “Back to Work Program,” which attracted about a thousand registrations, with an average participation of 400 women in each training session. The wing also launched the first hackathon for women’s health technologies “FemTech,” attracting more than 100 innovative proposals, and 46 female students from 23 schools were selected to present solutions that address women’s health issues, in addition to activities related to awareness and social events throughout the year.

In terms of education and cognitive experiences, the Terra, Alef and Vision pavilions received hundreds of thousands of visitors of all ages, and activities included attending more than 25 events, including exhibitions, activities and seasonal camps for ages 5 to 12 years.

The city also continued to host community sporting events as part of its drive to support health and well-being, including the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycling Challenge, the Bukari Sweet 2025 race, the “She Run” race for women, and the Emirates NBD Bank Al Wahda Running Race. These events attracted more than 20,000 participants and visitors of all ages and skills.

Dubai Expo City confirmed its readiness for the year 2026 with an agenda that includes major international events, including “GITEX 2026” and the World Health Exhibition, in conjunction with the continuation of its development plans, and with the start of real estate delivery in the second half of next year.

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