The Dubai Business Events office, an official entity aimed at attracting events and conferences in the city and operating under the Dubai Economy and Tourism department, is vigorously advancing its business events ecosystem and bolstering the tourism sector in alignment with the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33). In the first six months of 2025, the office successfully secured bids to host 249 events scheduled between 2025 and 2029, including major international conferences, meetings, and high-level incentive programs. This achievement marks a 29% increase in the number of hosting bids won by Dubai, compared to the same period in 2024, where the office submitted a total of 391 bids since the start of 2025, achieving a win rate of approximately 64%, up from 58% in the first half of 2024.
These events are expected to attract around 127,087 participants, reflecting a 35% annual increase in participation numbers. This demonstrates Dubai’s global standing as a prime destination for international business events and reinforces the emirate’s knowledge economy. This performance illustrates the strong response to Dubai’s offerings as a leading destination for the business events sector and showcases its leadership in meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions on the international stage.
The success in winning these bids positions Dubai to host more international conferences and high-profile incentive programs, with a calendar of events stretching until 2029. This growth highlights the crucial role of the business events sector within Dubai’s economic agenda (D33), which aims to double the size of the emirate’s economy by 2033 and establish it among the top three cities in the world for living, visiting, and working.
Under the Dubai Economy and Tourism umbrella, the Dubai Business Events office collaborates strategically and closely with relevant entities, partners, and institutions within the UAE, including members of the “Ambassador” program, which comprises key decision-makers and thinkers in the UAE, experts, and representatives from government bodies. This collaboration seeks to leverage their expertise and professional networks to attract global business events to Dubai and present comprehensive hosting proposals. The “Ambassador” program, in partnership with the Dubai Economic Development and Professional Bodies Center, plays a pivotal role in enhancing the city’s global reputation as a coveted location for meetings, incentives, and conferences, significantly contributing to the success of hosting bids.
Excellence and Innovation
Ahmad Al Khaja, Executive Director of the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, stated, “The achievement registered by Dubai in the first half of 2025, thanks to our leadership’s guidance, is a testament to the city’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and collaboration within the business events sector. Together with stakeholders and partners, we are advancing towards realizing the vision outlined in Dubai Economic Agenda D33, aiming to position Dubai as a global hub for knowledge and business. The diverse range of events confirmed for this year reaffirms that Dubai possesses a world-class infrastructure alongside accessibility and a comprehensive understanding of market needs. We will maintain our commitment in forthcoming years to provide exceptional value to event organizers and participants alike, solidifying Dubai’s leadership in this field globally.”
The active international presence of the Dubai Business Events office has contributed significantly to this strong performance. The office conducted five international promotional missions in countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, India, France, and Belgium, along with North America, engaging with over 50 stakeholders, institutions, and partners. Dubai Business Events represented the emirate at major strategic trade shows within the sector, including the IMEX Frankfurt fair during the first half of 2025. Continuous efforts have positioned Dubai at the forefront of options for global event and conference organizers, capturing the attention of decision-makers and participants from various business sectors worldwide.
Smoothness and Success
Dubai’s global status as a preferred business events destination was further solidified in 2025, as it garnered new international recognitions. The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) ranked Dubai first worldwide in terms of the average number of participants per event held by international associations. Additionally, Dubai maintained its leading position in the Middle East and Africa regarding the total number of association meetings hosted. In this regard, the Cvent platform has confirmed Dubai’s top ranking among the best 25 meeting destinations in the region. These rankings affirm Dubai’s capability to meet the needs of international event organizers smoothly and successfully.
Notable Events
Among the significant events Dubai won the bid to host in the first half of this year is the 2029 edition of the SIBOS conference and exhibition, organized by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), expected to attract around 12,000 participants. Other highlighted events include the inaugural joint meeting of the Asia-Pacific and European Spine Research Society in 2027 with 800 attendees, and the 2026 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG) conference, expected to host 2,000 participants. Additional events include the International Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat conference in 2026, counting 1,500 participants, and the International Symposium on Electronic Arts (ISEA) in 2026, anticipated to have 1,000 attendees. In the corporate and incentive sector, Dubai secured the 2026 African Energy Forum with 2,000 participants, alongside hosting the multi-market incentive program from Herbalife with 2,400 attendees, and a Planisware incentive program with 1,300 participants. Notably, major events are returning to Dubai, such as the Token2049 conference in 2026, expected to attract 15,000 participants. Dubai will also host two major Google conferences in 2026 and 2028, each expected to welcome 4,000 attendees. The Ambassador program has significantly contributed to these successes, with ambassadors providing 51 hosting bids, of which Dubai has won 32 as of now.
Thanks to the prominent and ongoing presence of the Dubai Business Events office throughout the year and its close collaboration with hotels, venues, professional conference organizers, destination management companies, and other service providers in this domain, it continues to play a crucial role in attracting high-level business events to Dubai. The office has also conducted familiarization and promotional tours and participated in international events such as the IMEX Frankfurt fair, allowing meeting organizers and stakeholders to gain firsthand experience of Dubai’s state-of-the-art business events infrastructure.
Looking ahead, the Dubai Business Events office will participate in major trade shows and strategic events for the remainder of 2025, including the Incentive, Conference, and Wedding Tourism Expo (IPEX), the IMEX Las Vegas fair, the IBTM (Incentive Business Travel and Meetings) event in Barcelona, the Middle East ICCA conference in Bahrain, and its international congress in Porto, Portugal. The office will be joined by its partners and stakeholders to enhance collaborative efforts and strengthen Dubai’s position as a leading destination for business events.