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Dubai Racing Carnival attendance jumps by 400 per cent in 2024–25
The event has seen increased interest following a renewed focus on hospitality and food and beverage offerings
- PUBLISHED: Thu 5 Feb 2026, 8:07 AM
The Dubai Racing Carnival’s attendees jumped impressively by 400-700 per cent in the 2024-25 season compared to 2021, the CEO of Dubai Racing Club, Ali Al Ali, told KT Luxe. Starting from 2023, the Dubai Racing Carnival introduced a wide variety of food and beverage options and elevated its hospitality, bringing in more visitors, the CEO added.
The latest season of the Carnival saw a large influx of guests, both locally (around 80 per cent) and internationally (approximately 20 per cent), the highest turnout in its history. “We used to be happy with 1,000 people coming in; now we’re unhappy with 7,000 people,” said Al Ali.
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“The carnival started slower and smaller than what it is right now. Three years ago, we restructured the carnival and created a full-fledged international carnival that stretches from November up to the Dubai World Cup,” he said.
The Dubai World Cup is an annual horse race which falls on the last Saturday of March, marking the end of the racing season. In 2025, the Dubai World Cup broke its record, drawing over 65,000 visitors, with this year’s turnout expected to rise.
Elevated F&B options
When you attend the Dubai Racing Carnival at Meydan, you are greeted with a plethora of dining options suited to different budgets.
Al Ali said raising the standards of the private suites at the Meydan Racecourse — which start at Dh445 with a minimum of 10 people — brought in more people.
“When a customer comes into a suite, he used to be confined to that suite. Yes, food and beverage was available, but not to the standard that we wanted and not to the standard that Meydan is known for,” he said, explaining that the outdoor area, like Paddock Garden — which costs Dh75 per adult — brought in more guests.
“The 2024 and 2025 season was the tipping point for us, where we understood what we need to do, and this is what we are reflecting on this season, and then we’re learning more this season to reflect for the next one,” he added.
Hind Aldah covers business, tech, crypto and all that jazz for a younger audience. In her spare time, you will find her playing classical guitar, painting amateur oil paintings, or crocheting the same old scarf that leads nowhere.
