Expo City Dubai has concluded 2025 having welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors and hosted more than 75 events, with plans to stage more international gatherings in 2026 alongside the neighbouring Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC).
The city hosted sustainability summits, community programmes, art festivals, educational forums, family celebrations and sporting competitions throughout the year.
Expo City hosted the Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum (APCS) for the first time in the Middle East, gathering more than 150 mayors and leaders from over 300 cities. The event attracted more than 1,500 speakers and delegates and unlocked $9 billion in investment opportunities.
Expo City Dubai welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors in 2025
“Expo City Dubai’s strength as both an organiser and ideal host venue shone through this year, serving as a platform where visionaries, creators and changemakers convene,” said Sholto Douglas-Home, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at Expo City Dubai. “Looking ahead to 2026, we will build on this momentum, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global leader in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector, leveraging Expo City’s strategic location, versatile event spaces and the expanding Dubai Exhibition Centre.”
The Sustainable Destinations Forum and the 13th Clean Energy Business Council (CEBC) Annual Summit brought together policymakers, innovators and industry leaders.
Expo City unveiled Terra’s IUCN Centre for Species Survival, a platform for biodiversity protection. In January, Dr Jane Goodall visited Terra to inaugurate the Jane Goodall Pollinator Garden, a sanctuary for bees.
Hai Ramadan celebrated the Islamic holy month, whilst Dhai Dubai returned for its second edition. The city marked Eid Al Etihad from 2-3 December.
Expo City expanded its partnership with Dubai Culture and Arts Authority through the launch of House of Arts. The space, housed in the former Morocco Pavilion, offers a venue for exhibitions, workshops and creative expression.
Al Wasl Season launched with Harvest Festival, collaborating with local farms. The region’s first edition of Festival of Cake featured the US-born Cake Picnic phenomenon, inviting guests to bring their own creations to an outdoor feast.
Winter City recorded 38,000 visitors in its first week, marking its strongest opening since the event started in 2022.
Carols by Candlelight will take place under the dome before the year ends. Al Wasl Plaza will host a New Year’s Eve celebration with live entertainment, arcade games, a DJ and two countdowns at 2100 and midnight.
The Women’s Pavilion ran a Return to Work Programme, drawing around 1,000 registrations and welcoming an average of 400 women at each masterclass.
Expo City Dubai to host GITEX 2026 and World Health Expo
The pavilion launched its first FemTech Hackathon on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, attracting more than 100 proposals. Forty-six students from 23 schools were selected to showcase solutions for women’s health and wellbeing. The Women’s Pavilion also hosted initiatives for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, International Women’s Day and Emirati Women’s Day.
Hundreds of thousands of visitors flocked to Terra, Alif and Vision Dubai. Across more than 25 events, highlights included exhibitions and seasonal camps for ages 5-12, plus the City Nature Challenge, Bee Festival and Enchanted Forest Festival.
Students gathered for the Big Sing, whilst industry experts supported youth at the Next Gen World Majlis, tackling challenges faced by future sustainable cities.
Expo City hosted events including the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge, Pocari Sweat Run 2025, She Runs and the Emirates NBD Unity Run, attracting more than 20,000 participants and visitors.
The city hosted Sephoria, Mindvalley’s Future Human event featuring Steven Bartlett and Jay Shetty, and the dance spectacle Holiguard Fire with pianist Stephen Ridley at Al Wasl Plaza.
Expo City Dubai is preparing for 2026 with city-wide experiences and international events including GITEX 2026 and the World Health Expo, formerly Arab Health. The city will welcome its first residents in the second half of 2026.
