DWTC Sets Out Q4 Business Events Outlook as DEC Expansion Advances

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 9 September 2026: Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) today set out its outlook for the remainder of 2026, with over 100 exhibitions, conferences and business events taking place across its two venues through year-end, alongside continued progress on the AED 10 billion expansion of Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC).

 

The upcoming calendar reflects the continued commitment of organisers and the international business community to Dubai, with major events spanning technology, travel and tourism, energy, real estate, construction, beauty and sustainability. Together with the continued expansion of DEC, the programme reinforces Dubai’s long-term investment in the infrastructure and capacity required to support the evolving needs of the global business events industry.

 

DWTC’s Q4 Calendar Build on Growing Events Momentum

 
DWTC’s Q4 calendar spans a diverse range of international industries, with DUPHAT, Middle East Energy and Arabian Travel Market opening the season in September, followed by Arab Lab, WETEX, World Green Economy Summit, Gulfood Manufacturing, The Big 5 Global and Beautyworld Dubai in October. GITEX Global will close the year in December, bringing together more than 200,000 technology executives, 6,800 exhibitors and participants from more than 180 countries.

 

DWTC’s two venues - Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) in Dubai’s Central Business District and Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) at Expo City Dubai - provide organisers with the flexibility to accommodate different event formats and requirements. Together, the venues enable multiple major exhibitions to take place concurrently, supporting Dubai’s ability to convene global industries across sectors.

 

Mahir Julfar, Executive Vice President at Dubai World Trade Centre, said: “The business events industry has consistently demonstrated its resilience and ability to adapt, and we are seeing that again today. With a busy Q4 ahead, our focus is on continuing to deliver for our organisers, exhibitors and visitors, building momentum and confidence with every event that takes place.

 

“Business events have an important role to play in driving Dubai’s wider economic momentum, bringing international businesses, investors and decision-makers to the city to trade, build partnerships and access new markets. The long-term commitment we continue to see from organisers is encouraging, and as we deliver the season ahead, we remain focused on supporting the continued growth of Dubai as a global business events hub.”

 

DEC Expansion Builds Capacity for the Next Phase of Growth

The three-phased expansion of Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai is shaping the next generation of business events infrastructure in Dubai, creating the capacity to accommodate a growing pipeline of large-scale international exhibitions and supporting the city’s evolution as a global business events destination.

 

Phase 1 of the expansion was successfully delivered in early 2026, increasing the purpose-built indoor event space to 140,000 square metres, with a daily visitor capacity of 50,000 people. The expanded venue hosted Gulfood and World Health Expo as its first major events, demonstrating its readiness to support large-scale international exhibitions.

 

Construction of Phase 2 has progressed steadily through 2026. Beyond additional exhibition capacity, Phase 2 will deliver a more integrated and accessible venue experience featuring 160,000 sqm of indoor event space and increasing daily visitor capacity to around 60,000 upon completion. An extended Concourse will seamlessly connect the Phase 1 and Phase 2 halls, while a new Eastern Access Road will enhance connectivity with Expo City Dubai and existing drop-off areas. New multi-storey parking facilities will initially provide around 7,000 spaces. Together, these developments will give DEC greater flexibility to host major global events and multiple events simultaneously.

 

Amer Al Farsi, Vice President of Real Estate Development at Dubai World Trade Centre, said: “The expansion of DEC is ultimately about staying ahead of the future requirements of the global events industry. Phase 1 has already demonstrated the scale and flexibility the expanded venue can provide, and we are now building on that foundation through Phase 2.

 

“The expansion continues to advance in line with our plans, while DEC remains fully operational. Our ambition goes beyond creating greater capacity and scale; we are building a world-class venue that delivers an exceptional experience for organisers, exhibitors and visitors. As the expansion progresses, we are creating the infrastructure and flexibility needed to support larger and more complex international events and Dubai’s long-term growth as a global business events destination.”

 

Upon full completion of the expansion in 2031, DEC will span 180,000 square metres, extending 1.2 kilometres, with a daily visitor capacity of 65,000 people and the ability to host more than 20 simultaneous events. The expansion supports DWTC's ambition to grow the economic contribution to AED 54 billion annually by 2033, in alignment with the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33).