GITEX and Gulfood Relocate to Expo City Dubai in 2026
▼ Summary
– GITEX GLOBAL and Gulfood, two of the world’s largest events, are relocating to Dubai Exhibition Center in 2026, with Gulfood also continuing at Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Center.
– This move positions Dubai Exhibition Center as the new central hub for global mega events and signals a new era for Dubai’s event economy.
– The relocation was directed by Dubai’s leadership and formalized through an agreement signed by DWTC executives during GITEX GLOBAL 2025.
– Dubai Exhibition Center is undergoing a $2.7 billion expansion to become the region’s largest purpose-built indoor venue, integrated with Dubai’s 2040 Urban Master Plan and future airport developments.
– This strategic move aligns with Dubai’s D33 economic agenda to double the economy by 2033 and supports growth in technology, food, investment, and tourism sectors.
A major shift is on the horizon for Dubai’s events landscape as two of the world’s largest exhibitions, GITEX GLOBAL and Gulfood, prepare to relocate their primary operations to the Dubai Exhibition Center at Expo City Dubai starting in 2026. This strategic move, orchestrated by the Dubai World Trade Centre, marks a significant evolution for the city’s event economy and reinforces Dubai’s position as a global hub for business and innovation.
GITEX GLOBAL, recognized as the planet’s premier technology and artificial intelligence exhibition, will transition entirely to the Dubai Exhibition Center (DEC). Meanwhile, Gulfood, the globe’s leading food and beverage sourcing event, is set for a citywide expansion. It will operate across both the DEC and the existing Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre (DICEC), located in the heart of the city’s central business district. This dual-venue approach for Gulfood ensures continuity while embracing new growth opportunities.
The directive for GITEX’s relocation was issued under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, with guidance from His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council. The formal agreement was signed during GITEX GLOBAL 2025 by Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of Events and Exhibitions Management at DWTC, and Mahir Julfar, Executive Vice President of Venue Services Management.
This transition firmly establishes the Dubai Exhibition Center as the city’s new mega urban hub, a facility specifically designed to accommodate large-scale international events that influence global industries, ideas, and economic trends. Trixie LohMirmand emphasized the broader implications, stating, “In Dubai’s new urban center, the events have space to grow, not only in the traditional sense through hall space, but across Dubai’s expanding tourism, lifestyle and cultural districts.”
The relocation positions the Dubai Exhibition Center as the new gravitational center for the global mega-events industry. Undergoing a massive $2.7 billion expansion, the DEC is poised to become the largest purpose-built indoor events venue in the region. Its strategic location offers close proximity to the forthcoming Al Maktoum International Airport, projected to be the world’s largest airport, and is fully integrated into Dubai’s comprehensive 2040 Urban Master Plan. This provides the infrastructure, connectivity, and sheer capacity needed to support the next phase of GITEX’s worldwide influence.
More than a simple change of address, this move acts as a strategic catapult aligned with Dubai’s ambitious D33 economic agenda, which aims to double the emirate’s economy by 2033. It is designed to create an open, enabling platform attractive to digital nomads, technology scale-ups, global corporate headquarters, and foreign direct investment.
Mahir Julfar commented on the strategic vision, adding, “This strategic move ensures we remain the global benchmark for world-class events, anchored in a city designed for the future of business. DEC’s scale, infrastructure and connectivity allow our flagship events to evolve in step with Dubai’s D33 ambitions, while continuing to deliver impact across technology, food, investment and tourism.”
(Source: Economy Middle East)
