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His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, today approved the master plan for the expansion of the Dubai Exhibition Centre to become the largest exhibition and events centre in the region.
The expansion of the centre is in line with the Dubai Urban Plan 2040, and enhances Expo City’s position as a dynamic economic hub driven by global exhibitions and events.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: “Today, we approved the master plan for the expansion of the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai at a cost of AED 10 billion. This cultural landmark will be the largest indoor exhibition and events centre in the region. Our goal is clear… We want Dubai to be number one in the events and exhibitions sector and the first global destination for mega events.”
His Highness added: “Dubai adopts a pioneering model for future cities, and follows an approach based on innovation. Continuous development is an essential part of Dubai’s economic and development identity. Events bring together the peoples of the world, create economic opportunities, support business tourism, and support our national projects and local economy.”
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was briefed on the details of the master plan for the expansion of the Dubai Exhibition Centre, in the presence of His Excellency Mohammed Al Shaibani, Director General of the Court of His Highness the Ruler of Dubai; His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Commissioner General for Infrastructure, Urban Planning and Quality of Life, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai; His Excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority; His Excellency Dawood Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, and a number of officials and members of the senior management of the Dubai World Trade Centre.
Strategic vision for the future
On this occasion, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, and Chairman of the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority, said: “Dubai has evolved from being a travel and tourism destination to becoming a global hub for innovation, connectivity and forward-thinking. Under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai has cemented its position as one of the world’s most influential cities, and has become a creative hub where the world comes together to foster the future of business and enterprise.”
“The master plan for the expansion of the Dubai Exhibition Centre has been developed to strategically support the future vision of Expo City Dubai, the Dubai Urban Master Plan 2040, and the new expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport, which will be the largest in the world when fully operational. The timing of the expansion of this unique urban centre, along with its vibrant communities, reflects Dubai’s exceptional strategic approach to building a city of the future according to the highest international standards,” His Highness added.
4 decades of development and success
In turn, His Excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri affirmed that the Dubai World Trade Centre is committed to increasing its total economic output by three times to reach AED 54 billion annually by 2033, in support of achieving the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), noting that the centre will significantly increase its share within the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions sector, which is valued at billions of dollars.
“With DWTC’s world-class event infrastructure and over four decades of sustainable economic value creation, the planned expansion of DEC will cement the emirate’s position as a preferred global hub for international trade fairs, conferences and experiential consumer events,” His Excellency said.
“In line with Dubai’s economic agenda, we are focused on achieving economic diversification and sustainable growth to transform Dubai into a leading global economic hub. Leveraging our strategic location, we have consistently developed a comprehensive ecosystem, enabling platforms and state-of-the-art infrastructure to enhance global trade and enable business. The DEC expansion masterplan will drive the next phase of development in the MICE sector, building on our existing regional leadership and world-leading event hosting facilities that enable sustainable growth and economic advancement for this important global sector. This expansion supports our aspirations to position Dubai among the top three global destinations for tourism and business, and to establish the emirate as a model for innovation and opportunity creation on the global stage,” His Excellency added.
Expansion space
When completed, the expansion of the Dubai Exhibition Centre will be 1.5 times the size of the current Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre and will be the new home for mega events. It will enable Dubai to double the number of large-scale events it hosts annually from around 300 currently to more than 600 by 2033, strengthening the emirate’s position as a leading hub for global exhibitions and business events.
3 stages of development
The master plan for the expansion of the Dubai Exhibition Centre includes three main phases to meet the requirements of the events sector, which is witnessing an increasing demand for large event centres, as follows:
Phase 1 – By 2026: The current exhibition space will increase from 58,000 square metres to 140,000 square metres, 2.5 times the current space.
Phase 2 – By 2028: The total exhibition space will reach approximately 160,000 square metres, in addition to enhancing the centre’s supporting infrastructure, road network and multi-storey car parks.
Phase 3 – by 2031: This final phase will bring the total indoor exhibition space to 180,000 square metres, and will include 26 halls on one adjacent level spanning 1.2 kilometres, with the capacity to host one major event across the centre, or 20 diverse events at once.
This phase will include a 300-room hotel, shops, restaurants, commercial offices, and a state-of-the-art kitchen that caters to a variety of indoor and outdoor event needs.
This cutting-edge destination for hosting major exhibitions and global events in Dubai is distinguished by its unique location that connects it within and outside the city, which enables the Dubai World Trade Centre to increase the number of global events it hosts in various sectors, including technology, healthcare, food and beverage, financial services, energy, and real estate, and provides a platform that encourages global participation in fast-growing sectors such as media and entertainment, transportation, education, tourism, and manufacturing.
The master plan for the expansion of the Dubai Exhibition Centre supports the new urban area that includes Expo City, the first “15-minute city” in the UAE that takes only 15 minutes to traverse, in addition to the Dubai South community and Al Maktoum International Airport.
