Dubai further consolidated its status as a major hub for international business events in 2023, with the city winning a record 349 bids to host prestigious international conferences, congresses, meetings, and incentive travel programmes. Driven by Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau, the wins reflected a robust 49 per cent increase in successful bids compared to 2022. These events captured in 2023 are set to attract over 191,000 international delegates.
Under its business events and delegate boosting strategy, DBE brought an impressive citywide offering to the global market that resonated with the core needs of the business events industry. Positioning Dubai as the foremost destination for international business events and increasing appetite among associations and corporates to conduct meetings in the city, DBE worked closely with stakeholders across the public and private sectors to covert interest into confirmed events. While some of these already took place within 2023 itself, others are confirmed for coming years, joining wins from previous years, with Dubai’s strong appeal driving a pipeline of impactful events as far as 2029. Bidding activity and success has continued to accelerate since the global Covid-19 pandemic with the number of bid wins in 2023 exceeding the previous record of 295 bids registered in 2019. The events secured for the city will play a vital role in driving trade, investment and attracting global talent – all critical pillars to build a stronger, more productive, and diverse economy – in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. Importantly, business events also play a role in creating new advocates for the city further enhancing Dubai’s appeal as a leading destination for business events.