Dubai World Trade Center achieves a record economic output of 25 billion dirhams in 2025, with a growth of 12% on an annual basis.

DUBAI, 8 JUNE / WAM / The Dubai World Trade Center has established its position as one of the most prominent strategic engines of economic growth in Dubai, achieving a record economic output amounting to 25.03 billion dirhams through a agenda full of international events, exhibitions and conferences that it organized and hosted during the year 2025.

As a leading global platform for trade, investment and knowledge exchange, the center continues to contribute to achieving the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), by attracting international companies, qualitative talents and pioneering innovations, and strengthening Dubai’s position as a global center for business and creating future opportunities.

On this occasion, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, said: “Dubai continues to consolidate its position as a leading global destination for international business and events, based on the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, which has made the emirate a global platform that brings together minds, companies, talents and investments from around the world. It is an ideal environment to host the largest exhibitions, conferences and specialized events.”

His Highness added: “The record performance achieved by the Dubai World Trade Center during the year 2025 reflects the growing global confidence in Dubai as a major center for organizing and hosting major international events, and its ability to provide an integrated system that combines advanced infrastructure, ease of doing business, and exceptional organizational capabilities, thus consolidating its position among the most prominent global destinations for the events industry.”

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum stressed that these exceptional results go beyond being positive economic indicators, and confirm Dubai’s success in building an integrated global system for international exhibitions, conferences and events, which contributes to attracting investments, competencies and qualitative expertise, enhancing the exchange of knowledge and innovation, and building cross-border partnerships, in a way that supports the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) and enhances the emirate’s competitiveness on the international stage.

His Highness said: “The international exhibitions, conferences and events sector constitutes one of the main strategic engines of Dubai’s economy, because of its influential role in stimulating various economic sectors, attracting visitors, specialists and decision-makers from around the world, and creating new opportunities for cooperation, investment and knowledge transfer, thus enhancing Dubai’s position as a global center for business, innovation and creating the future.” His Highness added: “We are continuing to consolidate Dubai’s leadership on the map of international events, by strengthening its position as a preferred destination for the most prominent global platforms for exchanging knowledge and building qualitative partnerships.” From different parts of the world.”

The 2025 Economic Impact Assessment Report issued by the Dubai World Trade Center reveals a new exceptional year of economic growth, as the agenda of major events organized and hosted by the Center contributed to achieving a record economic output amounting to 25.03 billion dirhams during the year 2025, with an annual growth of 12%. This performance was driven by the hosting of 108 major events that included international exhibitions, global conferences, and meetings of specialized professional associations, attracting more than 2.18 million participants from all over the world. Various parts of the world. These events also contributed to achieving an added value amounting to 14.66 billion dirhams within the gross domestic product of the Emirate of Dubai, recording the highest annual economic impact in the center’s history, which reflects the growing position of Dubai as a leading global destination for international business and events.

Commenting on the strong results, His Excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of the Dubai World Trade Center Authority, said: “During the year 2025, the Dubai World Trade Center achieved record achievements across various indicators, which reflects the size and flexibility of the business events system in Dubai, and the growing economic value it brings to the economy as a whole. Over more than 46 years, the center has succeeded in building a proven record that brings together the most prominent global sectors and organizing world-class events, thus continuing to strengthen Dubai’s position as a global center for business, innovation and international cooperation.”

His Excellency added: “We continue to work on expanding the capacity of the Dubai Exhibition Center in Expo City, which strengthens Dubai’s position as a destination capable of hosting larger and more influential global events, supporting the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and achieving sustainable economic growth.”

The 2025 Dubai World Trade Center events recorded continuous growth in the number and size of major events hosted across its various centers. The 108 major events attracted more than 2.18 million participants, including about 947,000 international participants, representing 44% of the total participants, which reinforces Dubai’s established position as a leading global destination for business tourism and specialized international events.

International participants contributed to supporting the GDP of the Emirate of Dubai more compared to local participants, as the average international participant’s spending amounted to more than 9,900 dirhams per event, which is nearly seven times the average spending of a local participant.

This higher economic contribution was driven by the increase in the average length of stay, and the accompanying spending on air travel, accommodation, retail trade, restaurants, and travel with co-workers or family members, which enhanced the positive economic impact at the emirate level. International participants recorded an average stay of 5.6 days per event, with 22 companions for every 100 international participants, which enhances the broader benefits that the business events sector brings to the tourism and hospitality ecosystem in Dubai.

The annual economic impact assessment report for 2025 indicated that the economic activity resulting from major events this year contributed to supporting more than 94,000 jobs in the meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions and related sectors, an increase of 10% on an annual basis. These jobs also contributed to achieving more than 4.7 billion dirhams in disposable family income, with a growth of 13.6% compared to 2024.

In 2025, the estimated value of sales resulting from major events hosted by the Dubai World Trade Center reached approximately 4.5 billion dirhams within the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions sector, driven by investments by event organizers and exhibitors in exhibition spaces, stand and pavilion services, logistics services, event infrastructure, and other business support services.

The impact of this activity extended beyond the events sector, as participants’ spending within the hospitality, transportation, retail, dining and entertainment sectors contributed to achieving a broad economic impact on the level of Dubai’s economy, as every dirham spent at Dubai World Trade Center activities contributed to achieving an economic output worth 5.5 dirhams in the emirate’s broader economy.

The growth in major events and the continued rise in international participation continued to support economic activity in related sectors during the year 2025, as the total direct spending within these sectors reached 13.48 billion dirhams, which reflects the broad economic impact of the events and business sector in Dubai. The related sectors benefiting from the major events included the following:

• Housing and accommodation: 3.79 billion dirhams

• Travel and transportation: 2.98 billion dirhams

• Retail trade: 2.55 billion dirhams

• Restaurants, food and beverages: 2.10 billion dirhams

• Entertainment: 1.81 billion dirhams

• Government services: 252 million dirhams

These results confirm the pivotal role of the Dubai World Trade Center in stimulating economic activity across the tourism, hospitality, aviation, retail and entertainment sectors, in addition to its contribution to supporting Dubai’s economic diversification agenda.

The diversity of sectors covered by the Dubai World Trade Center events agenda is consistent with Dubai’s strategic economic priorities and the region’s future growth sectors.

In 2025, the sectors of healthcare and medicine, food and beverages, information and communications technology, electronics and emerging technologies together accounted for 55% of the total value added, achieving more than 8.1 billion dirhams for Dubai’s economy. These sectors also attracted 48% of the total attendance and 59% of international participants in the major events hosted by the center during the year, which reflects the growing importance of Dubai as a global platform for innovation, sector development and knowledge exchange.

The health care and medicine sector topped the list of leading sectors with 20 events attended by more than 434,000 participants, achieving an added value amounting to 3.73 billion dirhams. The food and beverage sector came in second place with seven events attended by more than 280,000 participants, contributing 2.38 billion dirhams, while the information technology, communications, electronics and emerging technologies sector attracted seven events in which more than 337,000 participants participated. It achieved an economic value of 1.99 billion dirhams.

His Excellency Hilal Saeed Al Marri concluded by saying: “The strength of the events and business sector in Dubai lies not only in its size, but in its ability to bring together the sectors, technologies and ideas that drive the future global economy and achieve the emirate’s long-term economic ambitions.”

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