Year of the 50th: Dubai World Trade Centre to operate largest venue at Expo 2020

Dubai - The largest venue at Expo 2020 Dubai will increase the Emirate’s indoor exhibition capacity by 45%

The Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has played a major role in diversifying Dubai's economy and has worked to create a broader economic impact, cementing Dubai's position as a global centre for trade and business tourism.

Regarding the centre's preparations to celebrate the UAE’s 50th anniversary, Mahir Abdulkarim Julfar, Executive Vice President, Venue Services Management, Dubai World Trade Centre, said in an exclusive interview with Wam that the UAE’s success is the result of visionary leadership and an open, forward-thinking approach to business and trade.

Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo 2020

As Dubai prepares to host the world with Expo 2020 Dubai, the Dubai World Trade Centre is set to operate Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), the largest venue at Expo 2020 Dubai which will increase the Emirate’s indoor exhibition capacity by 45 per cent, presenting new opportunities for economic growth through the expansion of the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) industry.

DEC represents a unique value proposition with its world-class exhibition space and is a business and trade hub which will host international and regional trade exhibitions, meetings, conferences and business events for the six-month duration of the upcoming Expo 2020 Dubai.

He also added that DEC will increase Dubai's events infrastructure and attractiveness to global businesses, and is purpose-built to host ambitious, large-scale events for the world's most influential companies and industries.

With regard to DWTC’s achievements in the hospitality and exhibitions sector during the past years, Julfar highlighted that the Centre is a global enabler of international trade that has the aim of becoming the world’s leading destination for all major exhibitions, conferences and events.

As well as being a direct economic contributor to Dubai, DWTC has always given prospective foreign investors the opportunity to see what the emirate can offer: excellent infrastructure, a large number of fast-growing industries, a supportive government and regulatory environment – and the ability to reach into high-potential markets with fast-rising populations and rapidly accelerating needs.

Executive Vice President, Venue Services Management said that over the past 40 years, DWTC has played an integral role in diversifying Dubai’s economy while creating significant wider economic impact, establishing the city as an international centre for trade and business tourism.

The Centre's event organisers, exhibitors and visitors all have a direct, indirect and induced impact on spending across the city. Direct economic impact covers a range of sectors, including hotels and restaurants, retail, transport, and government and business services.

The indirect impact comes in the form of industries that supply raw materials, manufactured goods and ancillary services to DWTC, all of which see a surge in demand for their products as a result of our MICE activity.

He noted that DWTC has generated over Dh200 billion of total economic output for Dubai’s GDP over the past four decades, resulting from the 5,000 MICE events that it has hosted. Having attracted over 30 million business visitors to Dubai, 12 million of which were from international markets, DWTC has reinforced Dubai’s status as a global hub of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Year of the 50th

He also highlighted DWTC’s plans for the post 50th anniversary of the UAE’s union, noting that Dubai Exhibition Centre is a world-class venue for that will also play a central role in the future legacy of Expo 2020 Dubai. Under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Expo 2020 Dubai will form a new urban centre as part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.

DEC will be an integral landmark of District 2020, the planned mixed-use urban development that aims to repurpose 80 per cent of the Expo's built environment - a project which will deliver sustained economic value to Dubai.

Evolving from Expo 2020 Dubai, District 2020 will form a smart and sustainable urban centre, providing an innovation-driven business ecosystem and coming together of minds in which technology and innovation will support industry growth. Focusing on innovations in sectors including clean energy, artificial intelligence and autonomous transport, District 2020 will spawn a mixed use community of innovators that will provide unique opportunities for collaboration in advanced technologies.

The centre, which was established in 1979, introduces the region to the international exhibitions and conferences industry and has become the vibrant heart of Dubai as it continues to grow as a platform for opportunities.

• Dubai