Dubai reinforced its position as a leading global destination for business events during IMEX Frankfurt 2026, where Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau under the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, led a delegation of 20 industry partners from 19 to 21 May.

The delegation included representatives from across Dubai’s meetings and events sector, including Dubai World Trade Centre, Coca-Cola Arena, the Museum of the Future and JW Marriott Marquis, alongside destination management companies, hotels and venue operators.

The city’s presence at the international trade event came as Dubai secured several major industry rankings in 2025. The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) ranked Dubai first globally for the highest average attendance per association conference and first in the Middle East for the total number of association conferences hosted. Dubai also retained the top position among Cvent’s Top 25 Meeting Destinations in the Middle East and Africa.

Ahmed Al Khaja, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, said business events continue to support Dubai’s long-term economic strategy by driving knowledge exchange, professional collaboration and international partnerships. He said Dubai’s participation at IMEX Frankfurt aligns with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and reflects coordinated efforts across the public and private sectors to attract international events with long-term economic impact.

DBE said Dubai’s strategy remains focused on attracting meetings and congresses that contribute to industry growth, innovation and international engagement, supported by continued investment in infrastructure, accessibility and event services.

IMEX Frankfurt is part of Dubai’s wider international engagement programme, which also includes IMEX America, IBTM World and global sales missions aimed at securing future conferences and exhibitions. The event also provides opportunities for engagement with international industry organisations including ICCA, IAPCO and the Best Cities Global Alliance.

Dubai Business Events reported continued growth across the sector in 2025. The organisation submitted 747 bids for international events and secured 504 successful wins scheduled through 2029, representing a 15 per cent increase compared with 2024. The confirmed events are expected to attract more than 272,000 delegates to Dubai, a 29 per cent increase year on year.

Dubai also hosted 481 DBE-supported business events in 2025, compared with 429 the previous year. Major wins included the SIBOS 2029 conference, expected to attract 12,000 delegates, the SPE ATCE Annual Congress 2028 with 8,000 delegates, Apimondia 2027 with 5,000 delegates and the World Engineers Congress 2027 with 3,000 delegates.

Photo credits: Government of Dubai Media Office

Alexander Agafiev

Alexander Agafiev is former tech contributing writer for Forbes Monaco.