Dubai is taking its capacity in the global congress and exhibition market to a new level with the expansion of Dubai Exhibition Centre. Located in Expo City Dubai, the venue has completed the first phase of its AED 10 billion, approximately USD 2.7 billion expansion programme, bringing its total event space to 140,000 square metres. The new capacity allows Dubai Exhibition Centre to accommodate up to 50,000 visitors per day. The first phase added 64,000 square metres of new permanent exhibition space as well as approximately 30,000 square metres of flexible event space. The expanded venue began using its new capacity in early 2026, hosting major international events including Gulfood Global and World Health Expo.
Dubai’s plans extend beyond the first phase. The second phase, which is currently underway, is expected to increase indoor event space to 160,000 square metres and daily visitor capacity to around 60,000. Once the final phase is completed in 2031, Dubai Exhibition Centre is expected to offer 180,000 square metres of continuous exhibition space and 34 halls. This scale will allow the venue to serve not only one major event, but multiple events of different sizes at the same time. The final plan is designed to accommodate either a single mega event or up to 20 smaller events simultaneously.
The investment is therefore intended not only to create more space for existing exhibitions to grow, but also to attract international congresses and exhibitions that previously could not be accommodated in the city due to capacity limitations.
Up to 20 Events Can Be Held Simultaneously
Dubai Exhibition Centre’s 2031 master plan goes beyond expanding exhibition halls. Once completed, the venue is expected to stretch approximately 1.2 kilometres from north to south, with its total built-up area exceeding 1 million square metres. The development also includes a 22,000-square-metre outdoor plaza, around 7,000 square metres of retail and food and beverage space, a hotel with more than 300 rooms, commercial offices and a multi-storey car park directly connected to the venue.
The development is designed to bring accommodation, transportation, food and beverage, and event operations together within a single destination system rather than treating them as separate services for major congresses and exhibitions. Transport infrastructure and service areas will also be expanded during the second phase. Around 100,000 square metres of service space, new road connections and a multi-storey car park are expected to support visitor movement and logistics during high-attendance events.
Dubai Aims to Double the Number of Major Events
The Dubai Exhibition Centre investment forms part of Dubai’s broader economic and MICE strategy. Dubai World Trade Centre aims to increase the number of major events held annually in the city from around 300 to more than 600 by 2033.
The strategy is not based solely on attracting new events to Dubai. Physical capacity is also being expanded so that existing exhibitions can accommodate more participants, brands and visitors. Dubai World Trade Centre’s 2025 performance also reflects the demand behind this expansion. The organisation welcomed 2.19 million attendees across 134 MICE events during the year, including approximately 951,000 international visitors. Of more than 63,000 exhibiting companies taking part in the events, 78 percent were international.
The 140,000-square-metre capacity created through the first expansion phase of Dubai Exhibition Centre represents the first major step in this growth strategy. Once the next two phases are completed, Dubai’s competitive position will be shaped not only by the number of events it can host, but also by the scale and variety of events it can accommodate simultaneously.
