Dubai World Commerce Centre (DWTC) has introduced that two of the world’s largest commerce exhibits will transfer to the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) at Expo Metropolis Dubai in 2026.
The relocation will see GITEX GLOBAL, the world’s largest tech and AI present, and Gulfood, the world’s greatest F&B sourcing occasion, broaden into new territory.
Gulfood will function throughout each the Dubai Worldwide Conference and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) within the metropolis’s central enterprise district and DEC concurrently, reflecting its rising scale and worldwide demand.
Dubai Exhibition Centre occasions
The transfer was formalised in an settlement signed between Trixie LohMirmand, Government Vice President of Occasions and Exhibitions Administration at DWTC, and Mahir Julfar, Government Vice President of Venue Companies Administration at DWTC.
In keeping with DWTC, the relocation reaffirms Dubai Exhibition Centre’s rise as a brand new city hub purpose-built to host large-scale world occasions that form industries, economies, and concepts.
Trixie LohMirmand, Government Vice President of Occasions and Exhibitions Administration at Dubai World Commerce Centre, stated: “2026 will see the relocation of not one however two of the world’s largest occasions from the Dubai Worldwide Conference & Exhibition Centre to their new house at Dubai Exhibition Centre.
“GITEX GLOBAL and Gulfood are pivotal inside the tech and meals segments, and contribute to the success of Dubai and the UAE’s financial system.
“In Dubai’s new city centre, the occasions have area to develop, not solely within the conventional sense via corridor area, however throughout Dubai’s increasing tourism, way of life and cultural districts.”
Venue change
Mahir Julfar, Government Vice President of Venue Companies Administration at Dubai World Commerce Centre, stated: “The relocation of GITEX GLOBAL to Dubai Exhibition Centre, along with Gulfood’s citywide growth throughout each DEC and DICEC alerts a brand new period for our business and for Dubai’s occasion financial system.
“With the expanded Dubai Exhibition Centre, we’re unlocking a future-ready platform constructed to speed up world commerce, innovation, and sector development. DEC’s scale, infrastructure and connectivity permit our flagship occasions to evolve in keeping with Dubai’s D33 ambitions, whereas persevering with to ship influence throughout expertise, meals, funding and tourism.
“This strategic transfer ensures we stay the worldwide benchmark for world-class occasions, anchored in a metropolis designed for the way forward for enterprise.”
The Dubai Exhibition Centre is present process a $2.7bn (AED 9.9bn) growth that may make it the area’s largest purpose-built indoor occasions and exhibitions venue, strategically situated close to the upcoming Al Maktoum Worldwide Airport—set to be the world’s largest—and totally built-in inside Dubai’s 2040 City Grasp Plan.
Strategic realignment
The transfer positions DEC as the brand new gravitational centre of Dubai’s world mega-events ecosystem, offering the infrastructure and connectivity to assist the following section of the emirate’s development as a enterprise and innovation hub.
Past a easy venue relocation, DWTC described the shift as a strategic step aligned with Dubai’s Financial Agenda (D33) — the town’s plan to double the scale of its financial system by 2033 and place Dubai among the many world’s high three city economies.
The choice helps Dubai’s ambition to strengthen its popularity as a world vacation spot for commerce, expertise, and funding, whereas creating an open platform for digital nomads, scale-ups, and multinational headquarters.
