Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Informa Group have announced a strategic collaboration aimed at establishing a truly global powerhouse in Exhibitions and Event Management, specifically focusing on the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa regions. This partnership brings together two commercial equals, each equipped with highly complementary assets and capabilities, to create a new entity named DWTC-Informa, which will operate as Informa International. This new company is set to be fully operational by Q4 2025. Headquartered in Dubai, Informa International will cater to super-regional MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) markets while leveraging their combined scale to promote their home-grown megabrands worldwide. This strategic move reaffirms DWTC’s commitment to tripling Dubai’s MICE Sector GDP contribution to AED54 billion ($14.7 billion) annually by 2033, aligning with the ambitious targets outlined in the D33 Dubai Economic Agenda.
Moreover, the initiative aims to attract investments and facilitate cross-border trade through its esteemed B2B Events platforms. Additionally, it seeks to solidify Dubai’s status as the global epicenter for business and enterprise, even as the city enhances its reputation as the world’s preferred MICE industry hub, Dubai Media Office reported.
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Creating a market leader in MICE events
Informa International will encompass exhibitions, conferences, confexes, and professional training and accreditation services from both DWTC and Informa in Dubai and associated partner markets. This strategic partnership aims to forge a market leader with anticipated revenues exceeding $700 million. With the potential for double-digit growth, the partnership plans to expand beyond Dubai and the broader Middle East into high-growth markets globally.
Key strategic objectives of the partnership
Global MICE powerhouse
This collaboration merges DWTC’s global events with Informa Group’s event offerings in the UAE and partner markets, allowing the joint operation of over 40 market-leading brands in attractive growth sectors, including Food (Gulfood), ICT (GITEX), Information Security (GISEC), Healthcare (WHX), Energy (Middle East Energy), and Aviation (Dubai Airshow).
Accelerated global expansion
The partnership will create enhanced scale and opportunities to promote DWTC’s brands across the fastest-growing global markets for B2B Events, targeting regions such as the Indian Subcontinent, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.
Dubai as a #1 global business hub
The initiative aims to attract prominent events from Informa’s 100+ specialist global brands across various sectors to Dubai. This aligns with the city’s economic strategy, especially with significant venue infrastructure expected to be completed by 2026 at Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC).
Transforming cross-border trade
His Excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri, director general of Dubai World Trade Centre Authority, stated: “DWTC has anchored and enabled Dubai’s leadership as a preferred global hub for the MICE Sector. With the city’s flagship events like GITEX and Gulfood expanding internationally, and Informa’s portfolio of leading shows in complementary sectors across the super-region, this strategic partnership is set to be a transformation engine for cross-border trade and enterprise, co-creating sustainable value for the industries and economies served through the convening power of B2B Events. DWTC has built a portfolio of flagship B2B event brands, and Informa is the perfect partner with whom to combine strengths and capture the next stage of growth in this high-impact sector.”
Stephen A. Carter, group chief executive of Informa PLC, remarked: “We already have a great partnership in Dubai with DWTC, and today’s announcement will further expand our relationship, allowing us to create something quite unique and special together in what is a highly vibrant and fast-growing market.”
Informa Group’s longstanding presence in the UAE
Informa Group, a FTSE-100 company and a global leader in Live B2B Events, B2B Digital Services, and Academic Markets, has been operational in the UAE for over 25 years, concentrating on B2B events. Meanwhile, DWTC has been at the forefront of B2B Events in the UAE for more than four decades, owning and operating two major venues in Dubai, namely the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) and the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), which support city-wide activation centered around these iconic landmarks.
