UAE leads MICE tourism in the Middle East with 50% share and worth 5.62 billion dollars by 2024

Market trends and research findings reveal that the Middle East and North Africa events market is poised to reach an impressive 76.67 billion dollars by 2028. 

The sector has re-emerged from post-pandemic gloom and has resumed its catalytic role in economic and cultural transformation. With the MENA region hosting global mega-events such as Expo2020, Formula 1, FIFA World Cup and MDLBEAST Soundstorm, the sector has been boosted by accelerated growth in tourism, employment and infrastructure development in the region. 

Following the successful Middle East Event Show (MEES) in the second quarter, with an extraordinary showcase of innovation, sustainability and collaboration, the events industry came together at Souk Madinat to celebrate the successes and recognition of world-class events, marking the growth of the industry. The entire community of event professionals will gather again in Riyadh this week for two days of unlimited knowledge sharing, networking and long-term business connections. 

The Saudi Event Show (SES) will take place at the Mandarin Oriential Al Faisaliah hotel in Riyadh from 11-12 September 2024, bringing together 4,500 industry professionals, with more than 100 exhibitors and 60 world-class speakers in 30 interactive seminars. The next edition of MEES will return to Dubai from 18-19 June 2025. 

The MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) sector in the Gulf region has experienced significant growth in recent years, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) leading the way with a 50% share of the region's total MICE market, according to analysts at Mordor Intelligence. Mordor estimates the country's MICE tourism market at 5.62 billion dollars in 2024, which it expects to grow at a CAGR of 8.83% to reach 8.58 billion dollars by 2029. 

Much of this growth can be attributed to Dubai's role as a hub for MICE tourism, given its reputation as a high-end tourism destination and its world-class event infrastructure. 

Elsewhere in the region, countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia have established themselves as major players, especially Saudi Arabia, which is experiencing a boom in the MICE sector as a result of its transformation into a major economy.

Mordor estimates that the events sector in Saudi Arabia will grow at an annual rate of 9.49%, from 2.38 billion dollars in 2024 to 3.45 billion dollars in 2029. The Saudi cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam are emerging as major players with world-class services and, together with the established MICE hubs of Dubai and Doha, are making the Middle East one of the leading growth areas for the MICE sector worldwide. 

‘SES 2024 is a popular venue for event industry professionals from across the Gulf Cooperation Council, from organisers, entertainment professionals, creative specialists and operations experts to event technology and solutions providers, regulators and other stakeholders. It offers them a unique opportunity to meet and shape the future of the events industry in the Middle East and beyond. In fact, we invite delegates not just to attend, but to be part of history,’ said Amar Daginawala, Exhibition Director, Saudi Event Show.