Dubai locks in 504 global business events, boosting jobs, tourism and growth

Dubai: Dubai has secured 504 global business events in 2025, reinforcing its position as one of the world’s leading destinations for international conferences, corporate meetings and incentive programmes, and underlining the growing economic role of the sector under the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.

The successful bids, led by Dubai Business Events, the city’s official convention bureau and part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, represent a 15% increase from the previous year. The events are expected to attract more than 272,000 delegates to Dubai through 2029, a 29% rise compared with the number of delegates secured in 2024.

Delegate growth lifts tourism and services

The scale of delegate inflows points to direct gains across hotels, airlines, transport, retail and hospitality, while also supporting demand in sectors such as professional services and event management. Beyond visitor numbers, the events pipeline brings international expertise, investment interest and sector-specific knowledge into the city.

Dubai also hosted 481 DBE-supported business events in 2025, up from 429 a year earlier, reflecting steady growth in the city’s live events calendar. Bid activity continued to rise, with 747 bids submitted during the year, an 11% increase from 2024.

Officials said the performance reflects close coordination between public and private sector partners and alignment with Dubai’s long-term economic goals.

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, said business events continue to play a central role in economic expansion and global positioning.

“Guided by the vision of our leadership, business events continue to play a pivotal role in supporting Dubai’s economic growth, knowledge economy and global positioning,” Al Khaja said. “The strong performance delivered in 2025 reflects the confidence international associations, corporates and incentive planners place in Dubai as a destination that consistently delivers excellence, scale and impact.”

High-value sectors in focus

Dubai’s wins span engineering, healthcare, finance, energy and technology. Major events secured include the World Engineers Congress 2027, Apimondia 2027, the SICOT World Congress 2027 and the World Ophthalmology Congress 2028. Financial services will be in focus with the SWIFT Conference and Exhibition, SIBOS, scheduled for 2029, expected to draw around 12,000 delegates.

The city also strengthened its appeal in the corporate and incentive segments, securing large-scale programmes such as the Africa Energy Forum 2026 and UNLEASH Middle East 2026, both of which attract senior decision-makers and global executives.

Dubai Business Events maintained an active international presence during the year, participating in major trade shows and conducting sales and study missions across priority markets. These efforts were complemented by initiatives such as the Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme, which mobilises UAE-based experts to help attract global congresses.

Partnerships with international industry bodies and Dubai’s strong air connectivity have further supported bid success. Dubai International Airport recorded its busiest half-year on record in the first half of 2025, reinforcing accessibility for global delegates.