Dubai is betting big on the meetings industry. Today, it announced a $2.7 billion (AED10 billion) expansion plan for the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) at Expo City Dubai. The project, greenlit by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will make the DEC the largest exhibition venue in the Middle East.
The expansion is vital to Dubai’s strategy to reinforce its status as a global meetings hub. In line with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, it aims to double the number of large-scale events from 300 to 600 annually by 2033. It also aims to triple the meeting industry’s contribution to the economy to reach $14.7 billion (AED54 billion) annually by that time, which aligns with the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.
The DEC expansion will unfold in three phases, with the first due by 2026. At that point, exhibition space will grow from 624,000 square feet to over 1.5 million square feet. By 2031, the final phase will bring the total space to 1.94 million square feet. The completed center will feature a 300-key hotel, retail outlets, commercial offices, and an industrial kitchen. The approved project for the venue will enable it to host mega-events and accommodate up to 20 smaller events simultaneously.
Taking Over from Dubai World Trade Center
The DEC was purpose-built for Expo 2020. Its expansion will mark a significant push towards making Expo City Dubai the destination’s new urban center. In terms of size and capacity, the venue will overtake the Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC), inaugurated in 1979.
In 2023, 107 exhibitions, conventions and conferences attracted 1.56 million attendees to the DWTC. This number includes 722,000 international attendees, a 60% increase over the previous year. The venue organizes 20 events, including the flagship GITEX Global and Gulfood shows, which attracted around a third of the total attendees.
The government is pursuing its plans to raise Expo City Dubai’s profile and attract investment. The project connects the city with the broader Dubai South region and the Al Maktoum International Airport, which, once fully completed, is planned to be the largest in the world.