Global Business Hub: Dubai World Trade Centre Attracts 2.65 Million Visitors in 2024

In 2024, the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) marked a year of exceptional growth, welcoming over 2.65 million visitors to its events, a 7% increase from the previous year. This surge in attendance was attributed to the broad array of 378 business and consumer events hosted throughout the year, illustrating a significant 26% growth in event numbers.

H.E. Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai World Trade Centre Authority, emphasized the importance of these results, stating, "Our 2024 results underscore the strategic focus on scaling Dubai's global events sector. Our DEC expansion represents the next critical phase of increasing our capacity to meet growing global demand, allowing us to significantly multiply both our event hosting capabilities and economic contribution over the coming decade. This infrastructure investment, combined with our sector diversification strategy and growing international appeal, positions DWTC to not only advance Dubai's Economic Agenda 'D33' but to fundamentally reshape the emirate's role in global commerce and solidify its status as a world-leading business destination."

The DWTC's flagship MICE sector witnessed remarkable growth, hosting 135 events in 2024, a significant increase from the previous year. These events drew over 2.03 million attendees, marking a 30% rise in participation.

The international attendee count at these MICE events reached over 942,000, accounting for nearly half of all participants, thereby reinforcing Dubai's allure as a premier global business destination.

The exhibitions and events led by DWTC saw a notable rise in the number of participating companies, reaching 58,665, a 9% increase from the prior year. A substantial 77% of these were international companies, showcasing Dubai’s consistent ability to attract global business interests. This surge aligns with the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda "D33", aiming to position Dubai among the top three cities worldwide for business and tourism.

DWTC's strategy to expand and diversify its offerings was evident in the significant growth across its events portfolio. In 2024, it organized 20 major exhibitions and events, attracting around 590,000 attendees, which represents a 14% increase from 2023. Out of these, international attendees numbered 242,000, demonstrating DWTC's expanding global reach.

Moreover, DWTC enhanced its international footprint through its international arm, KAOUN International, by successfully launching and hosting flagship events outside Dubai, including GITEX AFRICA in Morocco and GITEX DIGI_HEALTH 5.0 Asia in Singapore.

The Healthcare, Medical, and Scientific sector emerged as the leading industry at DWTC, with 25 events drawing more than 465,000 attendees, a staggering 69% increase from 2023. Events like WHX Expo Dubai and Dubai Derma were among the key contributors to this growth. Following closely, the Food, Hotel, and Catering sector attracted over 283,000 attendees, led by notable events such as Gulfood, marking a 25% increase in participation from the previous year.

Information Technology, driven by GITEX Global and related events, and the Consumer Goods sector, with attractions like The Baby Expo, also showed significant growth in attendee numbers. The Leisure, Sport, and Travel sector, led by events such as the Arabian Travel Market, further underscored the diverse appeal of DWTC’s event lineup.

In a considerable expansion of its conferences and association events calendar, DWTC hosted 25 conferences in 2024, doubling the figure from the previous year and attracting nearly 90,000 participants. This included 17 new events, thus broadening the variety of its events portfolio. Noteworthy conferences included the AYUSH Conference and the Arab Media Forum.

Additionally, international association meetings saw a threefold increase in participation, with over 104,000 attendees across 14 meetings, highlighting events like the MDRT Global Conference and the World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems.

The role of the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) also became more pronounced, hosting 24 events with 128,000 participants. The DEC is set to undergo a significant expansion, with Phase 1 completion in 2026 expected to add considerable exhibition space, thereby enhancing Dubai's capacity to host large-scale global events.

Beyond its core events business, DWTC made strides across various sectors in 2024. Its Real Estate division partnered with Emaar Properties for the Expo Living project in Expo City Dubai.

The Asset Management business saw occupancy levels reach new heights, with key properties achieving up to 99% occupancy. The Free Zone licensed 389 new business entities, indicating its increasing attractiveness to companies seeking premium business environments with specialized benefits.