DWTC remains a cornerstone of the city’s business tourism market, launching a rich diversity of initiatives that have crafted this sector and the emirate’s GDP, further reinforcing its role in driving the city’s destination offering.
As the emirate strides towards the ambitious targets of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, to position it in the top three cities in the world for both business and leisure by 2033, DWTC continues to provide economic stimulus, trade-driven discovery and professional enrichment, furthering Dubai’s global status as a city of growth in the business tourism and the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sectors. 
DWTC’s 2024 EIA reveals significant contribution to the Dubai economy as 100 large-scale exhibitions, international associations congresses, and trade fairs take place – 32% Y-O-Y increase. The event attracted well over two million visitors and created an economic value of Dhs22.35 billion. Dubai’s GDP retained Dhs13. 04bn as GVA and upheld the high value it had continued to bring to the regional economy.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai said: “Dubai’s sustained growth as a key destination for international events of global scale is testament to the vision of our leadership and Dubai’s ever evolving proposition as a city that is open to business, innovation and talent. “DWTC’s remarkable 2024 performance is a testament to Dubai’s capacity to attract the world’s most exciting minds, innovative businesses and future-shaping ideas. This achievement embodies the fruition of continuous investment in future-proofed infrastructure, global connectivity and business environment conducive to local and foreign collaboration which connects markets.” “The MICE industry is critical to enhancing Dubai’s status as a major global destination, as articulated by the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. We are continuing to build and expand this industry as a cornerstone of an increasingly diverse and innovation-led economy. Dubai will continue to be a global hub for ideas, investment and enterprise – a place where impossible can become possible and potential finds a home.” HE Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai World Trade Center Authority said: “The outcomes we witness today represent a tangible testament to the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, highlighting the clear vision to establish Dubai as the world’s investment and to smart city, then reinforcing Dubai Plan 2021 by solidifying its position as the preferred investment destination. “They have played a truly important role in enabling Dubai to achieve its vision, and are a critical element in its strategy for continued economic growth and diversification.
“In line with Dubai Economic Agenda D33, every initiative at DWTC is geared towards stimulating the growth of a future-ready economy—one that draws in the world’s talent and powers businesses and meaningful cross-border partnerships. The growth in mega event and international visitation in 2024 is further evidence of the success of our strategic investments into hosting capacity and infrastructure, with the first phase of expansion of the Dubai Exhibition Centre maintaining schedule for completion in 2026. This enhanced world-class facility not only builds DWTC’s capacity to stage high-impact global events but also extends DWTC’s impact as a catalyst for economic opportunity, innovation and sustainable growth.
Conducted as part of its strategy to provide industry intelligence on the effect of the MICE industry in Dubai, the study examines the performance of large-scale events hosting 2,000 or more participants in the city, and its impact on the local economy growth and development. It benchmarks against four key measures: MICE even ts total spend; other ‘direct’ spends in related sectors including hotels and restaurants, retail and recreation, air and ground transport, government and business services; ‘indirect’ spends in the necessary production increases to meet increased demand; and the ‘induced’ impact, which results from the increase in household income of the local population.
The DWTC calendar of large-scale exhibitions in 2024 broke all records, registering a 32% year on year increase not just in the number of events but in the size and scale of existing mega events.
Among the 2.1 million visitors to these flagship shows, the number who came as international visitors hit an all-time high at 936,083, reaffirming Dubai’s position as the business tourism destination of choice. This massive leap in big-ticket business has been instrumental in creating 85,533 jobs through the MICE value chain and its related sectors, and the increase in international attendance has been central to realising MICE’s wider socio-economic footprint – its GVA accomplished more than doubling when compared to the 2016 benchmark.
In 2024, 100 mega-events held at DWTC contributed an estimated Dhs2. 9 billion VAT value from I#2528066;B sales in the MICE segment underlining the importance of an event-led economy for Dubai. This figure was largely the result of organizers and exhibitors spending on venue space, stand services, logistics and other business support services. Heavily, this direct spending induced almost eight times its value in non-trade business throughout the wider Dubai economy- so for every Dhs1 spent at a DWTC-organised event, Dhs7 were stimulated across the local business community. 7 in economic output was created throughout the city.
