Dubai Exhibition City (DEC), the region’s first integrated business, event, trade and retail destination, is drawing major international attention, following its debut at the Cityscape Property and Real Estate Exhibition last week.
The three square kilometre development is designed to be a fully-integrated environment for trade visitors and business groups, providing a wide range of facilities and amenities, as well as logistics support and light industrial areas.
Given that Dubai is currently one of the world’s fastest-growing destinations for business travellers – a staggering 425,000 business visitors came through the Emirate last month alone – a number of global groups are recognising the major investment opportunities provided by the project.
Retail and office areas are being designed by international architectural practice the Cox Group, which designed the famous Singapore Expo and three major sports facilities for the Sydney Olympic Games.
In addition, Hopkins Architects has been signed-on to develop a significant portion of the office campus, to ensure that the whole development offers a standard of architectural design unmatched in any other business park in the world.
“Dubai Exhibition City will become one of the most advanced destinations for commerce in the Middle East, providing a permanent home for many essential businesses as well as a meeting point for international executives,” said Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General, Dubai World Trade Centre.
Incorporating Dubai Exhibition World, the Dh8 billion (US$2.17 billion) dedicated facility that will host the world’s largest and most prestigious events, DEC will offer a full infrastructure of business and luxury hotels, to provide rooms for the millions of visitors that it receives every year.
Because of its proximity to the new Dubai World Central airport, delegations and business groups will be able to travel directly into DEC and head straight for their hotels, reducing the burden on central Dubai’s infrastructure, and stimulating the development of a new range of entertainment and hospitality resorts.
Office developments will be designed to the highest possible standard, forming the potential headquarters for many leading companies, with the added bonus of quick access to the nearby Port and Airport.
As additional attractions, DEC will be home to a retail park and business boulevard, with a wide range of famous brands on offer.
Drawing on the expertise of Hopkins and Cox, DEC will be a hugely attractive location, visually and spatially, and be characterised by advanced landscape design and impressive architecture.
Major investment opportunities
A number of major international investors have been drawn by the potential of the Trade Hub and the Light Industrial Zone within DEC.
The permanent trade hub will offer a fixed area for the display of products and services to the massive audience of trade visitors and exhibition attendees who visit DEC.
DWTC has already received a high volume of inquiries for space in the Light Industrial Zone, which will house companies involved in the development of stands, exhibition displays and similar products. This thriving sector is one of the fastest-growing within the events industry, and this will be the first-time that a dedicated zone is made available for such services.
Demand is high – with requests for approximately 200,000 sq. metres of space within the zone already received by the second day of Cityscape – particularly since many companies realise the cost benefits and service advantages of such close proximity to large exhibitions.
Finally, DEC will offer a full range of accommodation and serviced apartment options, for those wishing to live within the City.
“We are presenting a unique concept to the world – a fully integrated city which is built around the needs of the international business community,” said Al Marri.
“Because of its design, location and attractive range of international partners, it is rapidly becoming one of the most exciting investment opportunities within the region’s real estate market. We welcome this international interest, and feel confident that it will yield strong results for the world’s first dedicated Exhibition City,” he added.
