Economy and tourism in Dubai: Dubai’s events calendar is among the busiest in the world

Dubai, June 3, 2017 – The Department of Economy and Tourism in Dubai has confirmed that Dubai’s calendar is one of the busiest in the world in terms of events.

Speaking during the first regular meeting of the Department of Economy and Tourism in Dubai with partners for the year 2026, which was held at Dubai Opera today, department officials said that Dubai has benefited from the lessons accumulated since the global financial crisis in 2008 and the Covid-19 pandemic, as communication was rapid with partners to understand the challenges and respond to inquiries during the recent circumstances.

Issam Kazim, Executive Director of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, confirmed that Dubai continues to focus on the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, noting that it is a strategy that was prepared collectively based on an understanding of the needs of the industry and Dubai’s economy.

He said that the long-term vision represents one of the factors that distinguish Dubai from many cities around the world, stressing that the focus will remain on Dubai’s growth and developing diverse offers in various sectors, whether for visiting or living in the emirate.

Kazim added that Dubai continues to focus on four main axes, including increasing the number of visitors, increasing the average length of stay, increasing spending, and enhancing repeat visit rates, in addition to consolidating its position as the best city for work, living and investment.

He pointed out that global connectivity represents a major axis in supporting this trend, led by Emirates Airlines and Flydubai.

He pointed out that Dubai’s performance during the last period reflects the importance of the lessons learned from the “Covid-19” pandemic, pointing out that Dubai has shown a high ability to respond to different circumstances, to the point that flexibility has become part of the city’s spirit.

He explained that the response focused from the beginning on individuals, their safety and security, through a collaborative approach between various sectors and continuous meetings with partners.

He pointed out that the direct presence of the leadership at events and various locations in the city was an essential factor in enhancing reassurance and confidence.

He stressed that Dubai was keen to convey a message to the world that business is continuing from an economic perspective, pointing to continued participation in international events and exhibitions.

Kazim said that communication began quickly with the main partners to hold ongoing sessions, understand the challenges, and answer questions directly, stressing that the continuous communication circle with the sector was one of the most prominent lessons learned and developed during “Covid-19.”

He stressed that Dubai remains flexible, and that the lessons it learned during the 2008 crisis and then the “Covid-19” pandemic have become part of its daily way of operating, and that the city does not compromise on safety, security, and quality of life.

He pointed out that the flexibility of the aviation sector was one of the most prominent examples that should be highlighted, pointing to the efforts of the competent authorities that worked immediately to manage the operation of runways within time windows of up to 15 minutes, so that flights could be stopped and then restarted within 15 minutes, and to ensure that people returned to their planes and destinations.

He emphasized that this type of flexibility does not happen by chance, but rather is the result of continuous collective work.

He explained that support for economic sectors came through listening to partners and understanding their needs, pointing to the adoption of an economic incentive package worth one billion dirhams in April, which included postponing fees and business support measures, then adopting another tranche in May, bringing the total support to 2.5 billion dirhams.

He said that this support included the sectors of tourism, hospitality, events, retail, and small and medium-sized companies, which enhances business continuity and provides liquidity to partners, stressing that the goal is to prepare for the future and prepare for after the markets return.

He pointed to the rapid support from partners, including international CEOs who were keen to come to the emirate, some of whom faced longer trips than usual to reach Dubai and meet partners and then return to inform their boards of directors that Dubai is safe, stressing that these relationships are not fleeting transactions, but rather partnerships that have been built over years.

He added that a number of major brands chose Dubai during this period to launch their products globally, which reflects the strength of trust and partnership that was built over years of joint work.

He pointed out that protecting individuals and preventing exploitation of circumstances were priorities, explaining that the sector had been informed not to allow the prices of goods to be raised, and inspections were also carried out with the support of the federal government and Department of Economy and Tourism teams at least twice a day in various areas of Dubai, to ensure that prices were not raised.

He said that business continuity was also reflected in the events sector, which continued, as the Dubai World Cup was held with great success and celebrated its 30th anniversary, and the “Art Dubai” event celebrated its 20th anniversary, in addition to organizing many other major events.

He pointed to the offers of the hotel sector and platforms such as Talabat, Noon, and Kita, which launched initiatives and offers. He also pointed to the initiatives undertaken by those in charge of some restaurants to develop menus and concepts and increase traffic, stressing that these practices reflect society’s standing by each other in exceptional times.

Ahmed Al Khaja, Executive Director of the Dubai Festivals and Retail Corporation, confirmed that Dubai’s agenda is one of the busiest in the world, and that the city not only maintained this agenda, but added new activities based on the situation and the needs of the sectors.

He stressed that the Dubai summer will be full of events, with many offers being launched starting July 2, including events in shopping malls, offers in the hospitality sector, and multiple initiatives during the season.

He said that the retail sector will witness more offers than were put on the agenda before, thanks to the Retail Committee and partners in the sector, noting that the offers will move to new levels, including, for the first time, the opportunity to win a house in Dubai every week for 12 weeks, noting that spending 500 dirhams in participating stores or shopping centers automatically qualifies shoppers to enter the draw through a simple process.

He added that the events sector enjoys continuous support, and that Dubai will not only witness a busy agenda from September, but also during the summer, noting that in the city where more than 200 nationalities live, it is not easy to develop a program that suits everyone, but Dubai continues to provide strong content in its various facilities.

He said that last week, the city witnessed a full-scale event at the Coca-Cola Arena.

He stressed that business events are always a major driver of the economy and contribute to supporting growth and the knowledge economy.

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