Amid Regional Uncertainty, Dubai Reinforces Its Global Business Events Ambitions

Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau and part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), led Dubai’s presence at IMEX Frankfurt from 19–21 May, bringing together a delegation of 20 stakeholders from across the emirate’s business events ecosystem.

The delegation included destination management companies, hotels and venues such as Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), Coca-Cola Arena, the Museum of the Future and JW Marriott Marquis.

The city's participation came as Dubai further consolidated its position within the global meetings industry. According to the latest International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) rankings, Dubai retained the number one position worldwide for average attendance per association meeting in 2025 and remained the leading destination in the Middle East for the total number of association conferences hosted. The city was also ranked first among the Top 25 Meeting Destinations in the Middle East and Africa by Cvent.

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), said: “Business events play a significant role in supporting Dubai’s long-term economic development, not only through the visitors they attract, but through the knowledge exchange, sector engagement and global connections they help create, and further reinforced by the global accolades earned by the city as a business events destination of choice. IMEX Frankfurt remains one of the most important global platforms for the business events industry, and a valuable opportunity for Dubai to engage directly with international decision-makers and partners.

Driven by the ambitions of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, and the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, our participation at IMEX Frankfurt reflects the collective efforts of our stakeholders and partners to continue attracting events that create value over time for industries, institutions, talent and the wider economy, anchored by in-market expertise and innovation.”

Beyond visitor numbers, Dubai continues to position business events as a tool for knowledge exchange, professional development and sector growth. Aligned with the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), the city's approach increasingly focuses on attracting meetings and congresses capable of generating broader economic and societal benefits while strengthening Dubai's role as a hub for innovation, collaboration and international dialogue.

The focus also aligned closely with this year's IMEX Frankfurt theme, Design Matters, which emphasised the intentional design of events to create meaningful outcomes. In Dubai's case, that philosophy is reflected in a sustained investment strategy spanning venue infrastructure, accessibility, service capabilities and collaboration across multiple sectors.

IMEX Frankfurt remains a central pillar of DBE's international engagement programme, alongside initiatives such as IMEX America, IBTM World, destination showcases, sales missions and familiarisation programmes across key markets. The event also provides an opportunity to strengthen relationships with industry organisations including ICCA, IAPCO and the BestCities Global Alliance.

The results of this international engagement continue to be reflected in Dubai's event pipeline. During 2025, DBE submitted 747 bids and secured 504 wins for events scheduled through 2029, representing a 15 per cent increase over the previous year. Those events are expected to attract more than 272,000 delegates, a 29 per cent year-on-year increase. The city also hosted 481 DBE-supported business events during the year, compared with 429 in 2024.

Among the most significant wins were the SWIFT Annual Conference and Exhibition (SIBOS) 2029, expected to attract 12,000 delegates, the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) 2028 with 8,000 delegates, Apimondia 2027 with 5,000 delegates and the World Engineers Congress 2027, which is expected to welcome 3,000 participants.

Dubai's participation at IMEX Frankfurt formed part of a broader effort to sustain this momentum and strengthen its position within the increasingly competitive global business events market.
 

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