Dubai’s stature as a global business events destination continues to soar, with the city registering a strong year-on-year growth of 44 per cent in business event bid wins in 1H2023.
Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau and part of the Department of Economy and Tourism, worked with partners and stakeholders to win 143 conferences, congresses, meetings and incentives in the first six months of 2023.
The events captured include 24 association conferences, congresses and meetings, which are set to contribute to driving Dubai’s knowledge economy forward. Renewed growth from China alongside ongoing momentum from India contributed to 84 incentives won by the city.
Association events set to be held in Dubai over the coming years include IATA AGM 2024, World Library and Information Congress 2024, Critical Communication World 2024, Million Dollar Round Table Global Conference 2024, and International Trademark Association’s Annual Meeting 2026.
Meanwhile, corporate meetings and incentives coming to Dubai are Cardano Summit 2023, Perfect China Incentive 2023, WCAworld Annual Conference 2024, Brand Experience World 2024, and Nu Skin Global Team Elite Incentive 2024.
These events – which will take place over the coming years – are expected to bring over 94,000 additional visitors to the city, including global experts and leaders in their respective fields.
Announced earlier this year, the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 has outlined a series of ambitious targets to grow trade, develop key sectors and boost innovation and sustainability across the economy. With the aim of cementing Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top three cities, business events are set to play a key role at the intersection of business and knowledge development, in addition to contributing to incremental growth in visitation. Key D33 objectives also include boosting innovation, making Dubai a global hub for higher education and increasing FDI inflows.
