With a record 437 events from a variety of industries and professions, Dubai solidified its position as a leading destination for prestigious international conferences, congresses, corporate meetings, and incentives in 2024. The number of successful bids increased by 20% year over year, driven by Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau and a division of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. This further solidified Dubai’s position as a globally competitive events hub driven by innovation, infrastructure development, and growing global economic influence.
The 2024 events are expected to draw an estimated 210,731 delegates to Dubai in the upcoming years, directly influencing the city’s travel and tourism ecosystems and attracting talent and expertise from around the globe to take advantage of the platform Dubai offers for networking, professional development, and knowledge sharing.
The city’s success, which has been fueled by cooperation between the public and private sectors, highlights Dubai’s persistent appeal as a popular, easily accessible, secure, and friendly international MICE destination. This, in turn, contributes to Dubai’s broader economic growth by drawing more tourists, establishing Dubai as a leader in international business events, and illuminating its booming knowledge economy. Additionally, it demonstrates how crucial corporate events are to accomplishing the objective of the Dubai Economic Agenda, or D33, which aims to solidify Dubai’s standing as a premier international metropolis for both business and pleasure.
Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, said: “Guided by the vision of our city’s leadership, business events continue to play a vital role in bolstering tourism to Dubai and supporting its wider economic priorities. The healthy increase in successful bids in 2024 is further proof of Dubai’s rising prominence as a destination that delivers not only world-class business events infrastructure and capabilities, but also provides unrivalled, memorable experiences for all organisers and delegates. Furthermore, it highlights Dubai’s status as a knowledge hub, with associations and businesses benefitting from expertise and innovation in the city, and also contributing to its continued development.
“To build on this momentum, we are engaging with all stakeholders, trusted partners and service providers, to elevate Dubai’s position as a leader in the competitive business events landscape – aiming for sustainable economic growth, in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33. We look forward to harnessing the power of opportunity to create further impact for the benefit of everyone, and demonstrate what sets Dubai apart to a global audience.”
2025 WFNS World Congress of Neurosurgery (4,000 delegates), 2025 Asia Pacific Cities Summit & Mayor Summit (1,200 delegates), 2025 Pan Arab Radiology Conference (1,500 delegates), 2026 Global Symposium on Health System Research (3,000 delegates), 2026 FIP World Stamp Exhibition (1,000 delegates), and 2028 Scientific Assembly and Associated Events of the Committee on Space Research (3,000 delegates) were some of the most notable victories of the previous year.
The 2025 Oppo Guangdong Incentive, which attracted 4,000 delegates; the 2025 Loyal Connect Global, which attracted 3,000 delegates; the 2025 GLA Global Logistics Conference, which attracted 1,500 delegates; the 2026 Forever Living Global Rally, which attracted 12,000 delegates; the 2026 Emerson Exchange, which attracted 2,500 delegates; and the 2026 Herbalife China Incentive, which attracted 1,200 delegates, were among the esteemed corporate and incentive event bids that Dubai was able to secure in 2024.
At trade shows like IMEX Frankfurt, The Meetings Show, IBTM World, and IMEX America, as well as through a year-round schedule of sales missions, study missions, and site inspections, DBE interacted with professionals in the meetings industry worldwide in order to further support the expanding business events landscape in Dubai and fulfill its strategic mandate.
Other significant efforts included collaborations with important industry organizations such as the BestCities Global Alliance, the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), as well as the Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme, which involved its locally based subject matter experts and members from a variety of professional fields to secure more events and welcome more delegates to the city in the upcoming years.
This exceptional success comes after significant milestones were reached in 2024, such as Dubai being named the Middle East’s top city for hosting association meetings by ICCA and being ranked first among its “Top Meeting Destinations in the Middle East and Africa.”
