Sally Trelford went to Dubai where growth is happening at breakneck speed …

Dubai never fails to astonish. Whether that’s ski slopes under the desert sun, extraordinary architecture or the mouth-watering range and quality of delicacies arrayed on any one buffet, you can’t fail to discover something jaw-dropping on any visit. But this time, for me, it was the sheer ambition of the place, the energy, dynamism and determination to develop for the future, that made such an impression.

Against a backdrop of whether London will or won’t get another runway in the next decade, Dubai is building what is expected to be the largest airport in the world. It is already home to the world’s busiest. OK, so it’s not fair to compare the debate raging in and around the UK’s capital with a city that is 80 per cent arid desert and has a ruling royal family that institutes forward-looking plans with the means to implement them. But, age and history aside, it is tempting. (Of the 11 million people living in the UAE, only around 10 per cent are Emirati. London’s population is around 9 million.)

The ambitious Dubai Economic Agenda D33 aims to double the size of the economy and consolidate its position in the top three global cities in the next decade. Key sectors include Tourism, Finance, IT, Travel and logistics, Healthcare, Agriculture, Manufacturing and Education.

Visitors currently fly into Dubai International Airport (DXB), the world’s busiest airport for international passengers, which is just 10 miles from the city centre. It saw a record 92.3 million guests in 2024.

Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), currently largely used for freight and cargo traffic, is where work is taking place on a new AED 128 billion passenger terminal, which will be the largest in the world: five times the size of DXB, it will handle 260 million passengers each year, with 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.

The new airport is located close to Expo City Dubai and the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), around 30 miles from the city centre, close to Abu Dhabi and the area where so much of the city’s development and investment is taking place. This major new district was built to host Expo City 2020 – held the following year due to the pandemic – and hosted COP28, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, in 2023.

Madinat Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab hotels

Expo City at night with Surreal’s water feature and the Al Wasl Plaza dome lit up in spectacular fashion

Al Fursan Air Show and the Garden in the Sky

Dubai map

Built with a focus on sustainability – it is pre-certified Platinum, the highest rating in LEED Cities and Communities standard - Expo City is home to a range of exciting venues together with pioneering initiatives that 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 overlooking dining options, event venues, cycling tracks, jogging paths and gardens.

Regarded as the UAE’s 15-minute-city, Expo City offers many unique meeting spaces including the Al Wasl Plaza. A shaded garden by day, this spectacular space comes alive at night as its dome is used for 360-degree sound and light shows using its 252 projectors – it holds the Guinness World Record for the largest interactive immersive dome. It can seat 750 guests for a banquet, 1,000 for a reception, 3,000 for a concert or 820 in a theatre-style setup. Another lovely outdoor venue is Surreal, with architect-designed water features, while both Alif – designed to explore how mobility has driven progress and what it holds for the future – and Terra - net zero for energy and water, it epitomises best practice in sustainable design – offer varying meeting options in exciting buildings. The Connect Conference Centre is also well worth a look as are many other venues on the site.

The Rove Expo City Hotel overlooks Al Wasl Plaza and is close to the metro station and DEC, while Cheval Maison luxury serviced apartments are due to open this year. It’s unlikely to be long before more accommodation options open in the area but until then, Dubai Marina isn’t far away.

On its doorstep, a huge AED10 billion (more than £2 billion) expansion plan is underway to transform DEC into the region’s largest indoor events venue and serve as a home for mega exhibitions such as GITEX, Gulfood and Dubai Airshow. The venue’s 45,000 sqm exhibition space is currently spread across two campuses and includes a theatre, auditorium, several multipurpose halls, four suites and 24 meeting rooms.

DEC’s expansion is a strategic enabler to the futuristic outlook of Expo City Dubai and part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. Phase one of the project will see the venue’s capacity reach 140,000 sqm of exhibition space by 2025, enabling a daily visitor capacity of 50,000 people. Phase 2, expected by 2028, will expand the total exhibition space to nearly 160,000 sqm while the final phase, in 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.

This expansion will enable Dubai to double the number of large-scale events hosted annually and, crucially for international association event organisers, free up space in the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Located in the heart of the city, this 120,000 sqm venue is the largest dedicated events space in the region and home to most of Dubai’s major exhibitions, trade shows and congresses. It is part of the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) complex.

Indonesia National Day Cultural Performance at Al Wasl Plaza

Expo City offers a range of lovely venues in varying styles and sizes

Convention Gate - Dubai World Trade Centre

Getting there

Flight access is easy from most places and Emirates is Dubai’s flag carrier airline. Dubai’s metro is improving all the time and access is good to most of the main congress venues, hotels and attractions. Taxis are plentiful and affordable.

Where to stay

With more than 800 hotels offering 150,000 rooms, there is plenty of choice at a range of budgets. Dubai is renowned for the quality of its hotel stock.

Post congress

Most first-time visitors will want to experience the stunning views from the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. It is conveniently near Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping mall, which is an experience not least for the famous Dubai Fountains. But if time allows, encourage visitors to venture out to the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood for a fascinating glimpse at the extraordinary development of the UAE from fishing village to global powerhouse in just a few decades. It’s also a great area to browse for gold, silver, spices and perfume. An evening under the stars at a desert camp is a fun and memorable way to encourage networking.

Enjoy the views from the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa

Enjoy the views from the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa

Contact

Dubai Business Events offers a range of services to assist conference organisers.