Why Dubai for your next meeting or event?

A destination like no other, this fascinating city on the Arabian Peninsula entices groups with its outsize attractions, cutting-edge technology and all things luxurious and breathtaking. Yet even while Dubai sprints into the future, it also preserves its past and gives groups the opportunity to immerse themselves in a rich history and culture.

Only in Dubai

Proud to have hosted COP28, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2023, Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) is a state-of-the-art venue situated within Expo City Dubai. This major new district was built with a focus on sustainability and is studded with educational, cultural, retail and entertainment offerings. Pioneering initiatives include a cloud-technology platform that monitors energy consumption and the efficiency of power, light, water and climate controls. The Garden in the Sky is a fun observation tower that sits alongside leisure facilities, dining options, event venues and cycling tracks, jogging paths, parks and gardens.

Expo City Dubai is the first in the MENA region to be awarded full GSTC Certified Sustainable Destination status. Recognised under the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and Green Destinations Standard, it is also the site of the launch of the UAE’s first Green Innovation District.

Now an ambitious AED10 billion (more than £2 billion) expansion plan is underway, which will transform DEC into the region’s largest indoor events venue and serve as a single-level contiguous mega-venue.

Phase one of the project will see the venue’s capacity reach 140,000 sqm of exhibition space this year, enabling a daily visitor capacity of 50,000 people.

Phase 2 is expected to be completed by 2028 and will expand the total exhibition space to nearly 160,000 sqm while the final phase, expected to be completed by 2031, will increase the total indoor exhibition space to 180,000 sqm. It will then offer 26 halls on a single contiguous level that spans 1.2 kms, accommodating one mega event or up to 20 simultaneous smaller events. The final phase will include a 300+ key hotel, retail outlets, commercial offices and an industrial kitchen.

This expansion will enable Dubai to double the number of large-scale events hosted annually.

The city won an impressive 504 bids in 2025 representing a 15 per cent increase on last year. They are expected to attract more than 272,262 delegates to prestigious international conferences, congresses and incentive meetings extending into 2029, marking a 29 per cent increase compared to the 209,545 delegates secured in 2024.

Spanning a wide range of sectors and professions, this achievement underscores the importance of business events to the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy over the decade leading up to 2033, and reinforces its position among the world’s top three cities to visit, live and work in. Dubai Business Events (DBE), part of Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and the city’s official convention bureau, worked with stakeholders and industry experts including more than 370 ambassadors to deliver 481 business events last year, a 9 per cent increase year-on-year, welcoming 211,686 delegates.

The Dubai Association Centre (DAC) has been operating for a decade helping international associations set up regional representative offices in the emirate.

Significant bid wins secured in 2025

Association meetings

• World Engineers Congress 2027 – 3,000 delegates
• SPE ATCE Annual Congress 2028 – 8,000 delegates
• World Ophthalmology Congress 2028 – 12,000 delegates
• Apimondia 2027 – 5,000 delegates
• Swift Sibos 2029 – 12,000 delegates
• SICOT World Congress 2027 – 2,700 delegates
• World Congress of Intensive and Critical Care 2028 – 4,500 delegates

 Corporate & incentive events

• Africa Energy Forum 2026 – 2,000 delegates
• UNLEASH Middle East 2026 – 2,000 delegates
• Herbalife India President Retreat 2026 – 2,500 delegates

Further global recognition for Dubai’s status as a leading business events hub include ranking #1 global destination for Greenfield FDI (Financial Times fDi Markets), #1 city worldwide for average delegate attendance by ICCA, #1 meetings destination in the MEA by Cvent and #4 globally in the IMD Smart City Index 2025. It is also now the first Certified Autism Destination™ in the Eastern Hemisphere, which includes expanded sensory-friendly venues, trained hospitality staff and inclusive visitor infrastructure.

In addition, Dubai has consolidated its status as a leading financial centre for the MEASA region, ranking among the world’s Top 4 FinTech hubs (Global Financial Centres Index). The Dubai International Finance Centre is now home to 1,500+ AI, FinTech and innovation companies. The city continues to attract large-scale Web3, blockchain and FinTech conferences across major hotel venues while The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre continues to be an incubator for the UAE National Space Programme.

Dubai welcomed 19.59 million international visitors in 2025, up 5 per cent year-on-year, including a record 2.04 million overnight visitors in December.

Why meeting planners choose Dubai

Travel essentials

Taxes: 10% service charge; 7% municipality fee; 5% VAT

Convention Centres

Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre: this 120,000 sqm venue is the largest dedicated events space in the region and a part of the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) complex. Located in the heart of the city, it is home to most of Dubai’s major exhibitions and trade shows, as well as a steady calendar of international conferences and congresses.

Dubai Exhibition Centre: part of the Expo 2020 legacy and located within Expo City Dubai – now designated a Carbon Neutral venue – DEC’s substantial 45,000 sqm exhibition space will expand to 140,000 sqm this year and includes a theatre, auditorium, several multipurpose halls and many suites and meeting rooms. The district boasts a number of other unique meeting spaces.

CVB: Dubai Business Events

Visa information: can be found here, including a list of countries whose citizens get 30-day and 90-day visas on arrival

Local currency: UAE dirham (AED); £1 equals about AED 4.6

Power: Standard voltage: 220V; standard frequency: 50 Hz

Time zone: Gulf Standard Time (four hours ahead of UTC, formerly known as Greenwich Mean Time)

Transportation in & around the area

Dubai International Airport (DXB): about 15 km (10 miles) from the city centre. Transfer cost by taxi starts at about £9. DXB welcomed 95.2 million guests in 2025, up 3.1 per cent year on year, marking the busiest year in the airport’s history and the highest annual international passenger traffic ever recorded by any airport. 

Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport: about 55 km (34 miles) from the city centre. Transfer cost by taxi starts at about £28.

Work has begun on the construction of a new AED128 billion passenger terminal, which will be the largest in the world when completed. Able to handle 260 million passengers annually, it will be five times the size of the current Dubai International Airport, whose operations will be transferred in the coming years. It will have 400 aircraft gates and five parallel runways. The first phase is expected to be operational within 10 years and accommodate up to 150 million passengers annually.

Electric air-taxis: the region’s first electric air-taxi (eVTOL) test flight has been completed and commercial operations are expected to begin this year. 

New & coming soon to Dubai

• His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, launched the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 with the ambitious goals of doubling the size of Dubai's economy in a decade and consolidating its position among the top three global cities. Initiatives include 100 transformative projects, with economic targets of £7 trillion, doubling foreign trade and adding 400 cities as key trading partners. It aims to accelerate growth by investing in human development, skillsets and advanced technology, as well as consolidating Dubai’s global competitiveness, innovation and knowledge-based economy. The programme is investing in enhancing the advantages gained from Dubai’s strategic location and its advanced infrastructure to raise the city’s status as a preferred destination for major international companies and investments.
• Recently announced is the development of the Dubai Museum of Art (DUMA) on the waters of the Dubai Creek. Designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, it looks set to become a major cultural and architectural landmark showcasing works from artists around the world.
• Dubai offers an impressive 154,000 hotel rooms across 827 establishments.
• Aligned with the goals of the D33 Agenda, Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan and Quality of Life Strategy 2033, Dubai’s flagship sustainability initiatives achieved significant milestones in 2025. DET’s Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) drive recognised 153 hotels with the DST Stamp in February 2025, representing a 118 per cent increase from the previous year’s 70 hotels. The recognition system awarded 18 hotels gold tier status, 64 silver and 71 bronze based on assessments of energy efficiency, water conservation and waste management practices.
• The spectacular Ciel Dubai Marina will be the world’s tallest hotel when it opens soon, standing at 377 metres and offering 1,004 rooms across 82 floors.
• The One&Only One Za’abeel is the first urban resort from Kerzner International and offers ultra-luxury hospitality. Its dual skyscrapers are dramatically intersected by the world’s longest cantilever, The Link – a futuristic boulevard floating 100 metres above the street boasting wonderful skyline views and the UAE’s longest suspended infinity pool. The hotel’s spacious rooms are among the largest in Dubai and the collection of corner suites feature additional themed amenities. The Urban Suite, for instance, includes a state-of-the-art meeting space. The hotel also offers two ballrooms and six meeting rooms.
• In the same building Kerzner International has also opened its first SIRO hotel. SIRO One Za’abeel is focused on fitness and recovery in an entirely new concept that combines transformative wellness experiences, an integrated digital strategy and personalised guidance from wellness experts. The aim is to optimise physical and mental wellbeing through a fusion of science and technology across five pillars: nutrition, fitness, sleep, recovery and mindfulness. New in the happening smart district Uptown Dubai, close to Expo City, the
• SO/Uptown Dubai is a soaring city urban resort offering 188 bedrooms, excellent dining and breathtaking views. Located within the 340m high, diamond-inspired Uptown Tower, designed by internationally-renowned architects Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill, it offers high ceilings and innovative design. Its fully-equipped event facilities include an elegant ballroom accommodating up to 1,000 guests.
• The vibrant Creek Harbour area has seen many new hotels open along its six km promenade. The Address Grand Creek Harbour, the first five-star resort on this waterfront, offers views of old Dubai on one side and the extraordinary skyline of new Dubai on the other. With four stylish meeting rooms for 12-30 guests and a glorious Luma Pool Lounge for outdoor events for up to 250, it offers 223 elegant bedrooms. The relaxed and contemporary-style, 99-room Vida Creek Beach overlooks the newly-constructed Crystal Lagoon with a beach and state-of-the-art wave system and the five-star Palace Dubai Creek Harbour with 122 stylish bedrooms opened in 2024.  
• Newly open on the waterfront on Dubai Canal with views of the Burj Khalifa, The Lana is a Dorchester Collection hotel that combines stunning architecture, spectacular use of space and light and impeccable service levels. It offers three event spaces and 225 rooms.
• Drawing on inspiration from exclusive superyachts, Marsa Al Arab is part of the Jumeirah Group. Designed to epitomise superior luxury and quality in another landmark building, it offers 387 rooms and 10 restaurants. Part of the wider complex that also includes Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Burj Al Arab, Madinat Jumeirah and Wild Wadi Waterpark, it opened in March 2025.
• Opened early 2023, the NH Collection Dubai The Palm is an exciting four-star property that offers excellent value in this high-demand location on exclusive Palm West Beach. A short journey from Dubai’s top attractions, it offers 227 rooms, direct beach access, a rooftop pool and lively sports bar.
• The Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah opened in September 2022 with 608 guest rooms and suites offering stunning views of the Dubai skyline and Dubai Marina. Dining options include Trader Vic’s, McGettigan’s and Barfly by Buddha Bar, while guests also enjoy the tranquil signature Eforea Spa and a fully equipped gym. On-site event venues include 12 meeting rooms, a divisible ballroom and a terrace with panoramic ocean views that can host up to 800 people.
• The new Marriott The Palm Dubai, the first Marriott in the region, offers 806 spacious rooms with sweeping views of Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina. The resort features the Saray Spa plus on-site F&B outlets like the rustic Italian-style trattoria Cucina, the Korean steakhouse Smoki Moto and the rooftop restaurant About Eleven. More than 1,100 sqm of meeting space span 10 rooms, the largest of which can hold up to 750 people.
• The luxurious 43-storey Atlantis, The Royal Dubai opened in early 2023. With 795 hotel rooms and 102 suites, the resort has an expansive rooftop infinity pool; the Awaken wellness spa; restaurants helmed by celebrity chefs such as Gastón Acurio, Jose Andres and Ariana Bundy, and much more.
• Terra Solis by Tomorrowland, situated in the heart of the Dubai desert, launched in 2022 offering luxury glamping experiences, rustic dining and an expansive pool designed for large-scale events and parties. This sprawling desert-chic oasis lets guests choose between three accommodation options named after stars, meteor showers and constellations.
• With a design inspired by traditional dhow boats, the recently launched W Dubai – Mina Seyahi is a new architectural icon with 318 elegant rooms and suites overlooking the Arabian Gulf. Guests can linger in the lobby with expansive views of the Marina or spend afternoons soaking in the infinity pool and lavish BAR-B spa. A host of restaurants includes Ginger Moon, an urban beach-club experience. The hotel has four event spaces, the largest of which can host 150 guests.
• A new addition to one of the city’s well-established properties, the Grand Hyatt Dubai Conference & Exhibition Centre is a state-of-the-art events hall with close to 5,000 sqm of multipurpose facilities, including nearly 3,000 sqm of open function space, a huge royal arrival hall and can accommodate events of up to 4,000 people.

More meeting & event venues

• The Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the global events and exhibitions industry powerhouse, welcomed 2.65 million attendees in 2024, driven by a 26 per cent growth in the MICE segment. Offering an insight into Dubai’s unprecedented economic growth and its position as a leading international platform for business and trade events, DWTC welcomed 2.47 million participants last year, a 25 per cent increase on the previous year. The results were driven by 301 meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, a rise of 23 per cent year-on-year.
• The beachfront property closest to Dubai's financial and business districts, the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai, has 256 rooms and suites and a 700 sqm glass-walled ballroom complete with terrace overlooking the beach. On-site are four light-filled, divisible meeting rooms equipped with high-performance AV equipment and more.
• The Voco Dubai is located on Shaikh Zayed Road, home to most of Dubai’s signature skyscrapers. The property has 471 guest rooms and amenities include a business centre, an outdoor swimming pool, gym spa, three restaurants and nearly 1,000 sqm of meeting space.
• With 350 luxurious rooms and suites (including the largest suite in Dubai), the W Dubai – The Palm offers uninterrupted views of the Dubai skyline. The hotel, the first W brand property in the destination, includes 10 event rooms, the largest of which can hold up to 500 people, plus six breakout rooms. Amenities include six dining outlets, a private beach and water sports.

• NH Collection Dubai The Palm

  Inspired by the palaces of 18th-century Europe, the 391-room Raffles The Palm Dubai offers carefully curated experiences on a private beach on the Arabian Gulf. The hotel features eight restaurants and bars, a 2,100-sqm event space, spa, wellness centre and yoga studio plus the largest private cinema on Palm Jumeirah.
• The 432-room Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Waterfront, set in the Business Bay District on the Dubai Water Canal, provides a number of event venues, including a ballroom, 11 versatile meeting rooms and an expansive outdoor terrace overlooking the Burj Khalifa. F&B choices range from the Nordic inspired Larder restaurant and Scottish bar Makar to the down-home (Dubai-style) Fire Lake Grill House and Cocktail Bar.
• At 356 metres high, the Gevora Hotel is the world's tallest hotel and located in the city's World Trade Centre. The tower offers 529 high-end accommodations, from de luxe rooms to two-bedroom suites, all decked out in gold-covered art deco splendour. Amenities include a fitness room, pool and Jacuzzi, as well as five restaurants. The Business Centre is on the 12th floor and includes a 15-person boardroom and range of services.
• The 504-room Lapita Hotel brings a Polynesian theme to its architecture, landscaping and culinary offerings. On-site is a ballroom that can hold up to 600 guests, along with seven meeting rooms and an outdoor gathering space. As the only hotel within Dubai Parks and Resorts, the property connects directly to theme parks such as Legoland and Motiongat, including their numerous event spaces.
• The Stella Di Mare Dubai Marina Hotel has 369 de luxe rooms, all done up in a gorgeous art deco design, spread over 31 floors set in the waterfront Dubai Marina district. Features include a multipurpose ballroom that can accommodate up to 250 attendees, an expansive rooftop terrace and a number of culinary offerings, including the Yemaya seafood restaurant, Italian cuisine at Leonardo and an international buffet at La Fontana, plus views from the Skyland rooftop bar.
• Set inside the mixed-use Opus complex in a dramatically sleek and undulating glass structure designed by starchitect Zaha Hadid, the ME Dubai, part of Spanish hospitality brand ME by Meliá, has 74 guest rooms plus 19 suites and features 121 sqm of event space as well as fine-dining outlets, retail space, a bar, swimming pool and spa. The work of local artists is showcased in the lobby and within a mini gallery, with original pieces available for purchase.

A full listing of meeting and event venues in Dubai can be found here.

Extending your trip

• Said to be the world's largest and most-visited retail and entertainment destination, the Dubai Mall is home to more than 1,300 stores and 200 food-and-beverage outlets. This bustling city-within-a-city features major luxury brands, an Olympic-sized ice-skating rink and an amusement park, as well as the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo with thousands of aquatic animals. The mall's VR Park, a first-of-its-kind attraction in the Middle East, welcomes visitors into a virtual and augmented-reality wonderland. Just open on the first floor is a large Chinatown, bursting with the colour and flavours of the Far East. It offers a huge food hall, the latest gadgets from tech giant Xiaomi and traditional Chinese treatments at the Yinyang Connection Spa. Visitors can even explore the world of NFT art at a new gallery. It's also home to the Dubai outposts of award-winning hotpot restaurant Haidilao and Singapore's famed Hawker Chan food stall.
• Cultural food tours in Old Dubai have been named as one of the top global experiences for 2026 in Lonely Planet’s Best In Travel guide, spotlighting Dubai’s diverse and unique culinary scene. The fourth edition of the MICHELIN Guide Dubai featured 119 restaurants including FZN by Björn Frantzén and Trèsind Studio, the city’s first three-starred restaurants. The 2025 MICHELIN Guide also included three two-starred restaurants, 14 one-starred, 22 Bib Gourmands and three MICHELIN Green Stars.
• The inaugural World Sports Summit, organised by Dubai Sports Council, welcomed more than 1,500 global sports leaders to the city. Aligned with the objectives of the Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033, the summit reinforced Dubai’s position as a global hub for sports tourism and events. This year, the prestigious Dubai World Cup will mark a historic milestone with its 30 ^th running since the inaugural race in 1996.
• To the delight of fans of the beautiful game, Real Madrid World is now open at Dubai Parks™ and Resorts, the largest theme park destination in the Middle East. Home to more than 40 original Real Madrid-themed experiences and attractions from visiting the locker rooms to marvelling at the winning trophies, the world’s tallest amusement ride and the region’s first wooden rollercoaster, there are shows, training camps and games of footballing skills.
• For the ultimate thrill, Skydive Dubai offers ample reason to take the plunge, literally, thanks to expert guides who prepare visitors and literally join with them to free-fall from almost 4,000 m up and over the beautiful Palm Jumeirah and Arabian Gulf. The company also can arrange piloted gyrocopter rides going as high as 450 m.
• A unique view of the city can be had by ziplining through it via the Dubai XLine. Guests hang tight as they glide for nearly a mile across the city and soak up views of the gleaming yachts and shiny high-rises before arriving on the terrace of Dubai Marina Mall.
• Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest swimming pool for diving, is a thrilling underwater world for freediving and scuba diving. The building is shaped like an oyster, representing Dubai’s pearl diving heritage, and features a ‘sunken city’ with abandoned streetscapes like a modern Atlantis. It also offers meeting space for up to 100.
• Since opening its doors, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library has quickly become a cultural hotspot as the largest library in the region. Home to 600,000 physical and digital titles across its huge building in Al Jaddaf, the collection comprises nine themed libraries, café, bookstore and indoor/outdoor amphitheatre.
• Launched early in 2022, the Museum of the Future explores how society could evolve in the coming decades using science and technology. Recognised by National Geographic as one of the 14 most beautiful museums in the world, the facility incorporates elements of traditional exhibitions, immersive theatre and themed attractions in an extraordinary building.
• Perhaps the most recognisable of Dubai's many attractions is the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, which rises an incredible 828 m into the sky. This 160-storey monolith stands as the magnificent centrepiece of downtown and is adjacent to the famous Dubai Fountain, one of the world's largest water, music and light spectacles. A full experience here requires whizzing to the top of the tower or, for a VIP experience, a visit to the At.mosphere Restaurant & Lounge on level 122, with stunning views in an upscale setting.
• The Etihad Museum tells the fascinating story of the founding of the United Arab Emirates and the history and development of Dubai through a series of displays and interactive programmes, with a special focus on the years 1968-1974. Along the way, visitors learn about the country’s unique constitution and the rights, privileges and responsibilities it confers upon its citizens.
• With more than 150 million flowers in full bloom, the Dubai Miracle Garden has been one of the sweetest-smelling attractions in the world since it debuted, fittingly, on Valentine’s Day in 2013. Open from October to April and spanning nearly 250,000 sqm, the venue has been declared the largest vertical garden on earth by the Guinness World Records.
• One of the fastest-growing destinations in the world, Dubai is also one of the wealthiest. There is no better place to see its riches on display than at the country's souks, or traditional Arabian markets, set in the original heart of the city. Colourful, bustling and fascinating, these shops offer plenty of entertainment along with their share of Middle Eastern history. Dubai's famed Gold Souk features gold bracelets, necklaces and even breastplates, while the Spice Souk is filled with fragrant spices, herbs and dried fruit.
• Though Dubai teems with glamorous sports cars, motor bikes and private helicopters, this once was a city that relied mainly on abras — gondola-like boats — to transport people and goods up and down Dubai Creek. This is still a popular and scenic way to get around and offers a chance to watch old dhows (traditional sailing vessels) plying the Gulf's waters.
• Spend an afternoon playing polo like you've never experienced it — on the back of a camel, the UAE’s most treasured animal. At Camel Polo, your group will be divided into teams, and after a champagne toast will get instruction in how to swing a mallet. Next come the camels; professional riders control the animals upfront while the players hold on behind, wielding their mallets to (hopefully) score goals.
• Groups can experience the majesty of Dubai's desert in a number of ways, including by 4X4, with overnight stays and even by hot-air ballooning. Among the firms that organise desert activities is Platinum Heritage.
• No matter the time of the year, slaloming down the slopes in the middle of the desert is possible at Ski Dubai, the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East. Along with skiing, groups can enjoy snowboarding, ziplining and tobogganing — plus up-close-and-personal encounters with 20 friendly snow penguins.
• Dubai is home to one of the world's richest horse races, the Dubai World Cup. Next year's competition will take place on 30 March 2024.
• Dubai's Palm Island is famous for being the world's largest constructed island — visible from space. Each frond of its palm-tree shape houses a vast number of residential, commercial and entertainment properties, including several uber-luxury resorts like the Atlantis and, at the trunk, the ultra-modern Five Palm Jumeirah Dubai.
• One of the best ways to view the Palm is with an unforgettable ride on the Dubai Balloon, the latest attraction at Atlantis, The Palm. A tethered hot-air balloon rising 300 m up into the sky, the height of a 100-storey building, it can be booked for private groups and events by day or night.
• Another is from the 360-degree observation deck The View at The Palm. At 240 m high, it offers spectacular views of Palm Jumeirah, the Arabian Gulf and Dubai skyline. Located on Level 52 of the Palm Tower, there is a café, exhibition showcasing the development of the island and aquarium tunnels.
• Not only is the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding a non-profit organisation aimed at helping visitors get a better understanding of the culture and customs of the UAE, but it serves authentic dishes prepared in the home of the organisation's founder. Offerings range from Arabic coffee to mhammar (small local fish spiced and served whole with caramelised onions).