Dubai World Trade Centre schedules 100-plus Q4 events as $2.7bn expansion advances
The venue operator's expansion supports a $14.7bn annual sector output target by 2033.
Destinations Desk
Giga-destination economics: NEOM, Red Sea, AlUla, Diriyah, Ras El Hekma and what is opening
- Filed into
- Destinations
- Published
- 26 pieces
- Since
- 6 September 2026
Desks are editorial units of Arab Time. No individual is named; the desk is the byline.
Latest from this desk
Dubai Municipality and Emaar Malls sign retail development agreement
The agreement covers assessment of retail and lifestyle opportunities in public spaces across the emirate.
Samana Developers launches Collecta brand with $1.1bn World Islands project
The new premium residential platform debuts with 840 branded residences and floating villas on Dubai's World Islands.
Louvre Abu Dhabi rotates 300 loans annually from French partners
The museum holds 700 permanent works and receives 100 rotating masterpieces each year from 13 French institutions.
Sharjah launches Najm AI agent for investor matching
The tool connects investors with commercial and industrial opportunities based on project requirements and budgets.
Abu Dhabi's Mother of the Nation Festival opens November 28 with three new zones
The 10th edition runs until January 3, 2027, across Abu Dhabi City, Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
Saudi Expo 2030 tender packages draw seven bidders as contractors freed
Competitive bidding on each package follows reallocation of construction resources from delayed giga-projects to the October 2030 opening.
Global Village Dubai reopens October 14 with traffic training for 49 staff
Dubai Police trained supervisors and security personnel on traffic flow management and minor accident procedures ahead of the seasonal opening.
Global Village Season 31 opens October 14 with four RTA bus routes
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority will operate dedicated services from Al Rashidiya, Union, Al Ghubaiba and Mall of the Emirates stations.
Sharjah Book Fair 2026 adds poetry transformation service and children's career discovery space
The 45th edition runs November 4 to 15 with 2,673 publishers from 124 countries and 1,500 cultural events.
McIlroy confirms return for Abu Dhabi Championship at Yas Links
The golfer will compete in the November 5–8 tournament, the first of two season-ending DP World Tour Play-Offs events.
Sharjah Investment Forum 2026 to examine adaptive economies and AI
The two-day forum in October will bring together policymakers and investors to discuss regulatory competitiveness, capital flows and supply-chain resilience.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi preview programme runs September at Manarat Al Saadiyat
Three artists connected to the museum present talks, workshops and an interactive phone booth installation before the 11 December opening.
Abu Dhabi MEFCC 2026 draws 46,000 attendees with Dh60,000 cosplay prize
The 14th edition ran 11 to 13 September at ADNEC Centre with celebrity guests, anime programming and trading card tournaments.
Ras Al Khaimah signs Aridge deal for air mobility testing zone
XPeng-affiliated company will station aircraft and specialist team in the emirate under cooperation agreement.
Marjan develops 80km Grand Loop and five-day Via Ferrata on Jebel Jais
The Ras Al Khaimah developer is building new mountain routes with completion scheduled through the 2026-27 season.
UAE launches Visit UAE identity and Grand Tour multi-emirate platform
Ministry of Economy and Tourism announces unified national tourism brand alongside itineraries of up to 14 days across all seven emirates.
IIFA 2027 returns to Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena with Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor
The two-day awards event at Yas Island marks the fourth time Abu Dhabi has hosted the ceremony, with tickets on sale September 18.
AMAALA Yacht Club opens with 7,900 sq m facility on Red Sea coast
The club forms part of AMAALA Marina Village, expanding marine tourism infrastructure at the Saudi giga-destination.
Dubai entrepreneur launches My Syria app for Damascus tourism bookings
Platform offers hotel, transport and service bookings under Syria Ministry of Tourism patronage, with cross-border digital payments.
GCC unified tourist visa enters final technical stage
Six-country permit covering UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait moves toward launch after regulatory approval.
Dubai Exhibition Centre expansion targets 65,000 daily visitors at $2.7bn
Phase 2 development extends venue to 1.2-kilometre footprint with 7,000 additional parking spaces.
DWTC expansion targets 60,000 daily capacity with AED 10bn investment
Phase one of Dubai Exhibition Centre expansion set for September 2027 completion as venue scales infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia international leisure tourism forecast to grow 93 percent by 2030
Growth rate outpaces global average by more than three times as leisure spending share rises from 9 percent in 2019 to projected 31 percent by decade end.
Arabian Travel Market 2026 convenes 210 speakers in Dubai
Conference runs 14 to 17 September at Dubai World Trade Centre with government and industry participation.
Abu Dhabi venues schedule 297 events across second half of 2026
ADNEC Group sites in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain will host exhibitions, congresses and consumer shows through December.
The rows this desk maintains
The Pipeline| Project | Country | Location | Developer or owner | Operator or brand | Slip, quarters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club Med Musandam | Oman | Musandam Governorate | Omran Group | Club Med | |
| Nammos Ras El Hekma | Egypt | Wadi Yemm precinct, Ras El Hekma, North Coast | Modon Holding | Nammos Hotels & Resorts | |
| Four Seasons Resort and Residences AMAALA at Triple Bay | Saudi Arabia | Triple Bay, AMAALA | Red Sea Global | Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | |
| Montage Ras El Hekma | Egypt | Wadi Yemm precinct, Ras El Hekma, Mediterranean coast | Modon Holding | Montage Hotels & Resorts | |
| Disneyland Abu Dhabi | United Arab Emirates | Yas Island, Abu Dhabi | Miral | Miral (operations); The Walt Disney Company (creative design and operational oversight) | |
| Six Flags Qiddiya City | Saudi Arabia | Qiddiya City, 40 minutes from Riyadh | Qiddiya Investment Company | Six Flags Entertainment Corporation | |
| Wynn Al Marjan Island | United Arab Emirates | Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah | Marjan, RAK Hospitality Holding and Wynn Resorts | Wynn Resorts | |
| Ciel Dubai Marina, Vignette Collection | United Arab Emirates | Dubai Marina, Dubai | The First Group | Vignette Collection (IHG), managed by The First Group Hospitality |
Rows for the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia record dated data only: announced value, announced date, current recorded status and status date, each with its source. No derived field is computed for those rows.