Dubai World Trade Centre delivers AED 25.03bn economic impact in 2025, reinforcing Dubai’s global events leadership
Dubai World Trade Centre generated AED 25.03bn in 2025 through 108 major events and 2.18m attendees, supporting jobs, tourism and Dubai’s D33 economic goals now.
The Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) recorded a headline economic output of AED 25.03 billion in 2025, the organisation’s annual impact report shows. The result, driven by an agenda of 108 major exhibitions, conferences and specialist meetings, underlines DWTC’s role as a central engine for Dubai’s business events economy. The report places the centre at the heart of Dubai’s strategy to grow international trade, attract talent and deliver the objectives of the D33 economic agenda.
Record annual output and attendance
The DWTC report states the AED 25.03bn figure represents a 12 percent year‑on‑year increase and the highest annual economic impact in the centre’s history. That performance was supported by more than 2.18 million attendees across 108 flagship events held in 2025. The events generated AED 14.66bn in value added to Dubai’s GDP, reflecting the scale and scope of activity delivered across exhibition halls and conference venues.
International visitors fuel higher spending
International delegates accounted for approximately 947,000 participants, or 44 percent of total attendance, and contributed disproportionately to economic gains. The study found the average international participant spent roughly AED 9,900 per event and stayed a mean 5.6 days, underpinning broader spending in aviation, accommodation and retail. Organisers also reported that about 22 accompanying persons attended for every 100 international participants, amplifying tourism and hospitality receipts.
Wider ripple effects across tourism and retail
Direct spending linked to DWTC events reached AED 13.48bn across sectors connected to meetings and exhibitions in 2025. The report provides a sectoral breakdown showing accommodation accounted for AED 3.79bn, travel and transport AED 2.98bn, retail AED 2.55bn, food and beverage AED 2.10bn and entertainment AED 1.81bn. Analysts note that each dirham spent at DWTC produced an estimated AED 5.50 of value in the wider Dubai economy, highlighting the strong multiplier effect of business events.
Jobs growth and household income gains
Activity at DWTC supported more than 94,000 jobs related to meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions and associated industries, an increase of 10 percent from the prior year. Those roles helped generate an estimated AED 4.7bn in household income available for spending, a rise of 13.6 percent versus 2024. The centre’s commercial ecosystem also delivered approximately AED 4.5bn in estimated sales within the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) sector during the year.
Sector leadership: healthcare, F&B and technology
Three clusters — healthcare and medical, food and beverage, and information and communications technology (ICT) including emerging tech — together accounted for 55 percent of total value added, contributing more than AED 8.1bn to Dubai’s economy. Healthcare-led events topped the calendar with 20 gatherings attracting over 434,000 participants and producing AED 3.73bn in value added. Food and beverage forums held seven events with more than 280,000 attendees and AED 2.38bn economic contribution, while seven ICT and emerging-technology events drew over 337,000 participants and yielded about AED 1.99bn.
Officials highlight capacity expansion and strategic aims
DWTC leadership and Dubai officials framed the results as evidence of the emirate’s global attractiveness for trade and knowledge exchange. DWTC authorities emphasised plans to expand exhibition capacity at Expo City Dubai to accommodate larger and more frequent global events, aligning growth with Dubai’s D33 diversification agenda. Senior officials said the centre’s integrated infrastructure, ease of doing business and logistical capabilities were key to attracting international organisers and sustaining long‑term sector growth.
Dubai’s events sector has continued to mature into a cross‑cutting economic driver, the report concludes, supporting tourism, aviation and retail while enabling technology transfer and international partnerships. The figures for 2025 position DWTC as a central platform in the emirate’s plan to deepen economic diversification and strengthen its role as a global hub for business and innovation.
