Discover Business Events in Dubai: Why It’s a Leading Global MICE Destination

Short for time? Scroll to the bottom to discover the key takeaways.

As an event planner, you’re looking not just for a destination, but for a destination that works effortlessly for your meeting, conference or incentive event. That’s exactly what Dubai offers.

With its advanced infrastructure, expansive connectivity, and culturally rich hospitality, Dubai has established itself as one of the world’s premier choices for hosting business events.

We caught up with Karina Lance, the Associate Vice President of Dubai Business Events (DBE) - the city’s official convention bureau, to ask: What makes Dubai stand out? And why should you make it your go-to choice for hosting events?

Dubai stands out as a global hub for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions - what the industry calls MICE. If you’re weighing options for hosting events in Dubai, here are the key reasons it should be top of your list.

From seamless global connectivity (two major international airports, direct flights from hundreds of cities) to state-of-the-art venues and a trusted support ecosystem, Dubai offers an end-to-end solution for event professionals.

With more than 150,000 hotel rooms across 825+ hotels, you can cater to high delegate numbers, luxury incentive travellers, or hybrid meeting formats. The city has also made sustainability, innovation and safety central to its offering - vital for modern event planning.

To summarise:

Dubai combines cutting-edge infrastructure, cultural depth and global accessibility, making it a top destination choice for hosting events. For event planners seeking destination excellence: this is your stage.

At IBTM World 2025, the DBE team will be fully present and active. Their participation gives you, as a planner, direct access to the city’s event ecosystem and the opportunity to explore venue options, supplier networks, and partnership potential.

Additionally, DBE will meet with global industry bodies, including ICCA, BestCities Global Alliance, IAPCO and PCMA to ensure alignment of strategy and growth for 2025.

If you’re at IBTM World in 2025, DBE is returning with a larger stand, so do make time to visit the DBE stand and ask about venue visits, city-support services, and tailored guidance for your next conference or incentive in the region.

Check out this press release on IBTM World’s new exhibitors, where you can learn about Dubai’s expanded presence and the return of Ajman for the second time, alongside additional partners.

Dubai offers an array of venues designed to handle everything from boutique meetings to mega-exhibitions. Whether you’re looking at the iconic Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) or the newly expanding Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) at Expo City Dubai, you’ll find options built to global standards.

For example, DEC is undergoing a major expansion: by phase one (2026) the indoor event space will reach approx. 140,000 m², ultimately stretching to 180,000 m² by 2031.

That means more space, more flexibility, and more capacity for large-scale events.
If you’re planning a major congress, trade show or 5000+ delegate meeting, Dubai has the venue capacity to deliver.

As a planner, you know how important logistics, air-access, and support services are. Dubai delivers on all three. International airports, seamless visa processes, world-class logistics networks, and a supplier base experienced in global MICE.

DBE works closely with hotels, venues, professional conference organisers (PCOs), destination management companies (DMCs), and service providers. This gives you a single destination point of contact who understands how to deliver in Dubai.

This means you can rely on the city not just for venue hire, but for a full support ecosystem - site inspections, bid management, accommodation sourcing, networking introductions, and local operations.

You’ll find over 150,000 rooms in 825+ hotels across Dubai. The range is broad: luxury beach resorts, lifestyle-boutique hotels, business-class towers near venues, and more budget-friendly options too.

This means that you can align your event budget, group size, and delegate profile with the most appropriate accommodation strategy. From incentive-travel stays in Jumeirah or Palm Jumeirah, to city-centre business hotels for conference delegates, Dubai covers the full spectrum.

Hosting a successful event means more than the venue; it’s the experience you deliver to attendees. Dubai offers unique experiences - from desert excursions and yacht cruises to heritage tours in Al Fahidi and immersive cultural evenings.

These experiences help you not just host a meeting, but deliver a memorable event that engages delegates and adds ROI to their travel. For planners focused on attendee experience and engagement, Dubai wins on both professionalism and impact.

Dubai is evolving fast, and as an event planner, you’ll want to stay ahead of what’s coming. Here are key upcoming developments to factor into your 2025/2026 event planning.

Dubai is doubling down on its MICE ambitions, with significant infrastructure investments set to make it a more attractive destination for large‑scale business events in the coming years.

According to Meetings & Conventions Asia, the city’s continued growth in this sector is expected to reinforce its position as a global MICE hub, with projects aimed at improving its event capabilities well into 2033.

Additionally, Dubai's economic agenda is on track to double the size of its economy over the next decade, contributing further to the city’s long‑term viability as a destination for business events. 

Several major hotel openings are scheduled for 2025-2026, expanding your accommodation palette for incentive groups, delegates and VIP stays. Notable openings include:

• Mama Shelter Dubai in Business Bay (opened 2025)
• Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab - a luxury addition to Dubai’s iconic Jumeirah properties (opened March 2025)
• Six Senses The Palm, Dubai - a LEED-certified hotel and branded residences on Palm Jumeirah's West Crescent (opening end of 2025)
• Gran Meliá Port La Mer - 380 rooms with ocean views (opening Q4 2026)
• SHA Emirates - a luxury wellness retreat located in AlJurf, between Abu Dhabi and Dubai (opening early 2026)
• The Langham, Dubai - a high-end addition to the luxury hotel landscape, located on Sheikh Zayed Road (opening not yet announced)
• Rixos Dubai Islands Hotel & Residences - a luxury project by Nakheel on the Dubai Islands (opening not yet announced)
• Burj Binghatti - a luxury hotel apartment and penthouse project (opening 2026/2027)

The DEC expansion is a headline project for large-scale events. As noted, phase one targets 140,000 m² by early 2026, with further expansion to 180,000 m² by 2031.

This expansion aligns with Dubai’s MICE ambition to host more mega-events, deepening its ability to attract global congresses, trade shows and expos.

As an event planner, this means earlier availability of large-format venue dates, enhanced venue infrastructure, and access to next-generation event technology and logistics.

The event landscape is shifting. For a destination to stand out, you need not just space, but smart capability. This includes everything from AI-powered attendee engagement and logistics automation, to real-time data for event optimisation. Dubai is rising to this challenge.

The city’s leadership in this area is clear: the appointment of a Chief AI Officer (Dr Marwan Alzarouni) by the Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism symbolises the commitment to integrate AI and Web3 across tourism and events.

Whether you’re planning a hybrid conference, immersive XR experience, or smart-logistics enabled summit, Dubai offers infrastructure, connectivity, and tech-ecosystem support to make that vision real.

This means that you can confidently bid on events that demand digital sophistication, personalised delegate experiences or real-time analytics. Dubai supports innovation - you leverage it.

For further insights into the future of event management and the role of technology, take a look at this informative blog on creating sustainable, human-centred events from IBTM World.

Choose Dubai for your next meeting or conference and you’ll benefit from a destination that blends professional execution with memorable guest experiences.

If you’re ready to take your event to the next level, we’d recommend you visit the Dubai Business Events team at IBTM World 2025 to explore venue options, accommodation planning, and the full supplier ecosystem.

For extra insights into the future of meetings and events, take a look at the rest of the content on our blog.