Dubai World Trade Centre Reports 2.65 Million Attendees In 2024 Driven By Robust Event Calendar

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) reported a successful 2024, welcoming 2.65 million event participants, a 7% increase from the previous year. This growth was driven by a robust calendar of 378 Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE), and business and consumer events, reflecting a notable 26% year-on-year growth.

The flagship MICE segment at DWTC saw significant expansion, with events increasing from 107 in 2023 to 135 in 2024. These events attracted 2.03 million attendees, marking a remarkable 30% growth compared to the previous year. International participation at these events reached over 942,000 attendees, making up 46% of the total MICE attendees.

Dubai's ability to attract international businesses was evident as 58,665 exhibiting companies participated in these sector-leading exhibitions and events. Of these companies, an impressive 77% were international, highlighting Dubai's global appeal as a top business destination. This surge aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda "D33" to position Dubai among the top three cities for business and tourism worldwide.

In terms of specific sectors, the Healthcare, Medical, and Scientific sector led with over 465,000 attendees across 25 events. This accounted for 23% of total MICE participation and represented a significant 69% increase from the previous year. The Food, Hotel, and Catering sector followed closely with over 283,000 attendees.

The Information Technology sector also performed well with over 281,000 attendees. This sector's growth was primarily driven by GITEX Global and related events, which saw an 8% increase in participation year-on-year. The Consumer Goods sector attracted over 112,000 attendees through events like The Baby Expo and Middle East Organic and Natural Products Expo.

DWTC organised 20 flagship exhibitions in 2024 that drew an impressive crowd of 590,000 attendees. Of these participants, around 242,000 were international visitors. The number of exhibiting companies increased by 9%, reaching a total of 19,062 exhibitors.

Expanding Global Footprint

KAOUN International played a crucial role in expanding DWTC's global presence by taking flagship events beyond Dubai. Notable performances included GITEX AFRICA in Morocco and the launch of GITEX DIGI_HEALTH 5.0 Asia in Singapore.

The Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) hosted an increasing number of events in its pivotal role within Dubai's MICE ecosystem. In total, DEC hosted 24 events attracting around 128,000 participants in the year.

Conferences and Associations Events Growth

DWTC made significant progress in its conferences and associations calendar by hosting double the number of conferences compared to last year. These conferences attracted nearly three times more participants than in the previous year.

The strategic AED10 billion expansion of DEC is set to enhance its capacity significantly by adding permanent exhibition space by Phase I completion in 2026. By then DEC will have increased its total capacity to accommodate larger-scale events simultaneously.

With inputs from WAM