Prime Highlights
- Dubai won the hosting rights for 504 major international business events over the next four years, reflecting a 15% rise in successful bids.
- The city is expected to attract over 272,000 international delegates, boosting economic growth and reinforcing its position as a global business events hub.
Key Facts
- In 2025, Dubai hosted 481 DBE-supported events, up from 429 in 2024, and received 747 bids, showing increasing global confidence in its event capabilities.
- Major secured events include the World Engineers Congress 2027, Apimondia 2027, World Ophthalmology Congress 2028, and SIBOS 2029, with 12,000 expected delegates.
Background
Dubai strengthened its position as a leading global destination for international business events in 2025. It won the hosting rights for 504 major global events over the next four years. This success shows a 15 percent increase in winning bids compared to last year.
The secured events are expected to attract around 272,262 international delegates to Dubai through 2029, marking a 29 percent rise over the number secured in 2024. The performance was driven by Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau, which operates under the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.
In addition to building a strong future pipeline, Dubai hosted 481 DBE-supported business events in 2025, up from 429 in 2024, and received 747 bids, showing growing global confidence in the city’s ability to run large international events.
The secured events are expected to deliver strong economic benefits across meetings, incentives, and conferences, while also bringing global expertise, investment, and talent to the city. Officials said the results support the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and reinforce Dubai’s role as a global platform for innovation and knowledge exchange.
Ahmed Al Khaja, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, said business events play a vital role in driving economic growth and strengthening Dubai’s global profile. He added that the 2025 results reflect international trust in Dubai’s infrastructure, partnerships, and delivery capabilities.
Among the major wins were global congresses such as the World Engineers Congress 2027, Apimondia 2027, SICOT World Congress 2027, World Congress of Intensive and Critical Care 2028 and the World Ophthalmology Congress 2028. Dubai also secured SIBOS 2029, a major financial services event expected to bring 12,000 delegates.
Dubai kept up its strong global engagement in 2025 through major international events and strategic partnerships. With many confirmed events already lined up, the city enters 2026 ready to boost its economy and raise its global profile.
