DWTC Hospitality Division Achieves Remarkable Growth In First Half Of 2024

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has reported remarkable results for its Hospitality division in the first half of 2024. The division has solidified its status as a leading provider of external events and on-site catering services. This success is in addition to its established reputation for catering events held at DWTC venues.

The number of guests catered to at external events saw a dramatic increase, with 104,732 guests served in H1 2024 compared to 43,615 in H1 2023. This represents a substantial rise of 140 percent, highlighting DWTC’s expanding influence and expertise in off-site catering across the UAE.

Mahir Abdulkarim Julfar, Executive Vice President at Dubai World Trade Centre, stated, "The first half of 2024 has been an outstanding period for our Hospitality division. We have seen a significant increase in our external catering services, more than doubling our performance compared to the first half of the previous year. Our participation in high-profile events such as the Dubai International Boat Show, Dubai World Cup, Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and Dubai Airshow showcases our ability to deliver exceptional hospitality at scale. This success underscores our commitment to excellence and versatility in providing premier catering services beyond our venues."

Wedding catering also experienced robust growth during this period. The number of guests catered to rose by 41 percent to 35,150 in H1 2024 from 24,790 in H1 2023. To support this growth, staff numbers increased proportionately.

DWTC Hospitality now employs 113 chefs, up from 90 last year. The total number of permanent staff nearly doubled to 195 compared to 100 in H1 2023. Additionally, contracted and temporary staff numbers grew by over eight percent, reaching 25,395 in H1 2024 from 23,473 in H1 2023.

Achievements at DWTC Venues

The Jafza One Convention Centre (JOCC) catered to 7,150 guests in the first half of 2024. This marks an increase of more than 28 percent compared to H1 2023. Furthermore, the total number of events held at JOCC and Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) rose by 17 percent from 76 events in H1 2023 to 89 events in H1 2024.

Julfar added, "The primary factor behind the success of our Hospitality division is our people. At DWTC, we are dedicated to fostering and nurturing talent, ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to grow and develop their skills as part of a high-performing team. Investing in our people aligns with our commitment to the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) and contributes to the city’s sustainable economic growth."

As a key player in Dubai’s vibrant events industry, DWTC’s Hospitality division provides award-winning catering services for both internal and external events. These include weddings and F&B retail services with the capacity to cater for up to 40,000 guests per day.

The division operates from a state-of-the-art kitchen facility spanning 3,650 square metres. It delivers fresh and high-quality cuisine entirely produced in-house.

This impressive performance underscores DWTC’s dedication to excellence and its role as a premier provider of hospitality services within Dubai's thriving event landscape.

With inputs from WAM