Dubai Exhibition Centre is on schedule to open its doors on January 26 − providing a new home for the mega events that the emirate is seeking to attract.
Gulfood Global and WHX, previously Arab Health, will be the first large-scale exhibitions to move from Dubai’s World Trade Centre to the Dh10 billion ($2.72 billion) venue in January and February next year.
Work will continue until 2031 to complete the region’s largest indoor exhibition and events venue located in Expo City.
The National took an inside look at the final stages of work as the 140,000 square metres of space is being readied to welcome 50,000 visitors a day across a single level next year.
“This is only phase one for the Dubai Exhibition Centre. Ultimately by phase three we will host anything between 65,000 to 80,000 people depending on the layout of the show,” Mahir Julfar, executive vice president Dubai World Trade Centre, told The National on Wednesday during a tour of the site.
“We have run out of space at Dubai World Trade Centre, so this would allow us to move some of the mega shows into Dubai Exhibition Centre. We will have four moving in 2026, in 2027 we have six to seven shows, in 2028 we will have nine to 10 shows – this is just to start with.”
Final touches
More than 4,000 workers are busy across the DEC’s distinctive orange facade, with some working on scaffolding spread through exterior and interior sections. It was an active construction site last year with building completed in record time. Final touches are now being added to electrical and mechanical systems.
Among the highlights is a 1.2km space from north to south without any columns that will be open from January. Once the final phase is completed in 2031, the 180,000 sqm area can be split up into 26 halls to host more than 20 events at the same time or used for a massive single event.
Gitex and Automechanika will shift to DEC in the fourth quarter of 2026, with plans to attract larger events. The existing centre was built in time for Expo 2020 and also hosted Cop28 marking the start of the city vying for global events.
“Expo 2020 was like ultra-mega shows such the Olympics, where the entire city is hosting that event,” said Mr Julfar.
“Exhibitions are sectorised like with technology, food and by moving these shows to Dubai Exhibition Centre, we allow them to grow to maximum capacity. This will also allow us to bid for international congresses for future years. For international conferences, the lead time is anything between two to 10 years to bid and win an event.”
Key connections
The baton will be handed over to the DEC next year but some events will continue at the World Trade Centre with 30 express buses connecting both venues for Gulfood and WHX. About 80 shuttle buses will operate within Expo City Dubai to take visitors from parking zones with about 10,000 parking slots. During events, the Metro Red Line will increase the frequency of services to the Expo 2020 Station outside the DEC entrance.
Amer Al Farsi, vice president of real estate development at the Dubai World Trade Centre, said the challenge was to build a unique space to meet demand from exhibitors for a bigger, more flexible exhibition area with advanced tech facilities and infrastructure connectivity.
“It is definitely exhausting, but we are proud to be part of this legacy, to deliver this global hub because what we are providing here will serve the exhibitions and conferences,” he said.
“What is the Dubai Exhibition Centre? It is a national economic lever, it is a platform that connects industry, trade, innovation and ensures growth of different sectors. It's an honour to be part of a team that's ensuring the completion of this facility in time.”
Located near Al Maktoum International Airport, there will be three hotels within walking distance of the DEC, including the Rove Hotel, and about 170 serviced apartments at the Expo Village site. More than 45 hotels are within a 20-minute drive.
The DEC is part of the emirate’s vision of transforming into an economic hub, with hosting global exhibitions and events making a major contribution.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, in September last year approved a Dh10 billion expansion plan to develop the DEC as “the top destination for mega events”. In line with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, the Dubai World Trade Centre committed to tripling the economic contribution of its meetings, conferences and events sector to Dh54 billion annually by 2033.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 0
Liverpool 2 (Mane 50', 54')
Red card: Andreas Christensen (Chelsea)
Man of the match: Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY
Starting at 10am:
Daria Kasatkina v Qiang Wang
Veronika Kudermetova v Annet Kontaveit (10)
Maria Sakkari (9) v Anastasia Potapova
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Ons Jabeur (15)
Donna Vekic (16) v Bernarda Pera
Ekaterina Alexandrova v Zarina Diyas
The specs
Engine: 2.2-litre, turbodiesel
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Power: 160hp
Torque: 385Nm
Price: Dh116,900
On sale: now
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Leaderboard
63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)
64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)
66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)
67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)
68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)
Zayed Sustainability Prize
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
2019 Asian Cup final
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
RESULT
Aston Villa 1
Samatta (41')
Manchester City 2
Aguero (20')
Rodri (30')
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
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MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 0 Wolves 2 (Jimenez 3', Saiss 6)
Man of the Match Romain Saiss (Wolves)
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
