The Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC) generated nearly AED 22.4 bn in economic output in 2024, driven by record growth in large-scale events, according to a Dubai Media Office statement, citing its latest Economic Impact Assessment. DWTC hosted 100 large-scale events last year — up 32% y-o-y — attracting over 2 mn attendees.

Gross value added (GVA) to Dubai’s GDP stood at AED 13.0 bn, underscoring the venue’s role in supporting the emirate’s broader diversification goals under the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.

Healthcare, food and hospitality, and information technology events were the main contributors, accounting for 58% of total GVA and attracting 51% of all event attendees.

Where the funds flowed: Direct event spending generated AED 2.9 bn within the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) sector, while supporting over 85.5k jobs. An additional AED 13.2 bn flowed into adjacent sectors such as hotel accommodation, retail, F&B, and transport.

International visitors drove spending: International visitors accounted for 46% of total attendees, spending nearly 6x more than domestic participants. Top source markets included Saudi Arabia, India, China, Turkey, and the UK.

REMEMBER- DWTC is expanding amid Dubai’s events boom: It tapped UK-based Mace Group last October to oversee the first phase of the AED 10 bn Dubai Exhibition Center expansion, set for completion by 2026. The full project, part of Dubai’s 2040 urban plan, is scheduled for completion by 2031, doubling exhibition space and event capacity.

The company is also expanding in the MICE sector: DWTC partnered with UK-based Informa Group last month to launch a Dubai-headquartered B2B events joint venture focused on the MICE sector. The new entity will oversee over 40 major events across the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa and is expected to generate around USD 700 mn in revenues.

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