DWTC Hospitality Division Achieves Strong Performance in 2024
DWTC Hospitality, the hospitality division of Dubai World Trade Centre, reinforced its status as a premier hospitality services provider in 2024, serving nearly one million guests across more than 2,400 events. As an award-winning leader in large-scale and bespoke catering, it remained the preferred choice for private, corporate and government clients.
From mega exhibitions and international conventions, corporate galas and hospitality events, to high-profile weddings and private events, DWTC Hospitality showcased its ability to deliver world-class hospitality services at scale, both at events hosted within DWTC's owned and managed venues - including Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) and Jafza One Convention Centre - as well as hundreds of locations across the United Arab Emirates.
Mahir Julfar, Executive Vice President at Dubai World Trade Centre, said: '2024 has been an outstanding year for DWTC's Hospitality division, reinforcing our pivotal role in Dubai's dynamic events landscape. Our culinary team continues to push boundaries with innovative, award-winning experiences, backed by exceptional service standards. From large-scale exhibitions and conferences to high-profile weddings and gala dinners, we remain committed to setting new benchmarks and delivering hospitality experiences that consistently surpass expectations'
Another Landmark Year for Large-Scale Exhibitions & Corporate and Private Event Hospitality
DWTC Hospitality demonstrated its operational excellence in 2024 by delivering world-class catering and hospitality to some of the region's most prestigious large-scale exhibitions and events, including Gulfood, World Health Expo (WHX) Dubai, Arabian Travel Market and GITEX Global, whilst also expanding its international presence at GITEX Africa. In addition to large-scale events the team catered to over 400,000 attendees to corporate and private events held at DWTC's venues. Its expertise in managing diverse events was particularly evident in the weddings segment, where it successfully catered to over 150 wedding celebrations, serving more than 63,000 guests.
Continued Growth in Catering at Conferences and Associations
Catering at conferences and associations maintained its upward trajectory, with the Hospitality division serving nearly 95,000 attendees, a 12% increase from the previous year, reinforcing DWTC's strong standing in this sector. Key events, including the WCA Worldwide Conference, AWS MENA Summit 2024, and The International Congress of Endocrinology, among others, played a significant role in driving this growth.
Strong Performance Across DWTC-Operated Venues
Jafza One Convention Centre (JOCC), operated by DWTC, witnessed exceptional growth, catering to over 25,000 attendees, more than doubling its numbers from the previous year with a 116% increase. Similarly, the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) played a pivotal role in DWTC Hospitality's success, catering to over 73,000 attendees in 2024. These achievements further reinforce DWTC Hospitality's commitment to excellence and its growing influence across multiple venues.
Surge in Off-site Catering
DWTC's Hospitality division catered to over 145,000 guests to 1,105 external events in 2024, reflecting an impressive 37% year-on-year growth. Key events included the Dubai International Boat Show, Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Dubai World Cup, MEBAA Show (The Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association), and more. To sustain this growth, operational capacity was strategically enhanced, allowing the team to cater to up to 40,000 guests per day while maintaining exceptional service standards.
'As we look to the future, our commitment remains steadfast in redefining industry standards and strengthening Dubai's position as a global leader in world-class hospitality and events of all scales. Through continuous innovation, strategic partnerships, and an unwavering dedication to service excellence, we are evolving to meet the ever-changing demands of the industry. Our ambition extends beyond delivering exceptional experiences - we are shaping the future of hospitality by integrating cutting-edge culinary creativity, operational excellence, and sustainable practices to set new benchmarks. Aligned with Dubai's vision for economic and tourism growth, we are poised to play an integral role in advancing the sector, ensuring our venues, services, and expertise continue to lead on the global stage,' added Julfar.
Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tourism Breaking News
4 days ago
- Tourism Breaking News
Malaysia gears up for Visit Malaysia 2026 with Global Meet and International Outreach
Post Views: 80 In a special interview with TravTalkME, Nuwal Fadhilah Ku Azmi, Director International Promotion Division, North and East Asia, Tourism Malaysia shared that efforts are being made to intensify priority markets such as the GCC to drive more opportunities and that they are planning a special event to connect Malaysian sellers with international buyers and media in September this year on world tourism day to further promote about 'Visit Malaysia 2026'. She added that Malaysia is ramping up its preparations for the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, with major initiatives already underway this year. A national priority, the campaign brings together strategic partners from across the hospitality and tourism industry—including hotels, airlines, and media platforms—to amplify Malaysia's brand on the global stage. 'Among the key highlights is Global Meet, a business-to-business (B2B) platform taking place later this year. The event will connect Malaysian tourism sellers with international buyers and media, aiming to boost global awareness and drive business opportunities ahead of 2026. Additionally, Malaysia will host World Tourism Day in Melaka this September, further showcasing its readiness and commitment. Efforts are being intensified in priority markets. While neighboring countries remain strong contributors to tourist arrivals, Malaysia is expanding its focus to China, India, and notably the Middle East—aligning with the Prime Minister's regional engagement efforts. Long-haul markets like Europe are also a renewed priority.' To drive this agenda, Malaysia has launched a series of sales missions and workshops. These include recent promotional tours in India, China, and the Middle East, such as the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) and missions to Jeddah and Riyadh. Post-COVID, the push is clear: re-establish Malaysia's presence in under-engaged regions and aggressively market the country as a top tourism destination. With 2026 on the horizon, Malaysia is going 'all out' to ensure the campaign's success.
Arabian Business
22-05-2025
- Arabian Business
GITEX expansion to Europe, Asia boosts Dubai's geoeconomic standing, says event chief
Dubai's flagship technology exhibition GITEX is expanding globally to position the UAE as a bridge between disparate tech ecosystems and enhance its geo-economic influence, the event's chief executive said. 'This geo-economic positioning is very powerful, and GITEX can definitely do a lot to position Dubai and the UAE at that intersection,' Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of Kaoun International and Executive Vice President of Dubai World Trade Centre, told Arabian Business at the inaugural GITEX Europe in Berlin. She said the global expansion of GITEX beyond its Dubai origins serves a mission that extends far beyond traditional trade shows. 'At the end of the day, we carry the main mission and the vision of Dubai and the UAE,' she added. 'We are a platform that will influence, have good outcomes for as many countries and peoples of the world, as much as possible.' GITEX, which began in 1981 as a modest trade show in Dubai, has evolved into one of the world's largest technology events. The Dubai edition attracted 200,000 attendees from over 180 countries in 2024, with 6,500 exhibiting companies. The event has now launched international editions in Morocco, Singapore, Nigeria and Germany, with GITEX Europe making its debut in Berlin this week. LohMirmand said the decision to launch in Europe, and Berlin specifically, was driven by the region's strength in deep tech and scientific research. 'When it comes to innovation and especially deep tech, AI, Europe leads in its own capacity,' she said. 'In order to be able to innovate and invent frontier technologies that is going to really solve some of the world's toughest challenges, you need to leverage deep research.' The Berlin launch followed two years of discussions with the German state government, she said. 'There was great interest from them, because they have heard how GITEX has evolved, sustained and thrive and has become that global ecosystem builder,' LohMirmand said. She described Berlin as an attractive venue due to its multicultural nature, similar to Dubai, and its position as Germany's capital where policy influence is possible. 'The ability to be able to co-create regulations the way forward' makes Berlin strategically important, she said. LohMirmand positioned GITEX's expansion as reflecting broader UAE ambitions, comparing it to the country's AI strategy which involves multiple international agreements. 'GITEX mirrors what the UAE ventures in AI. It has got multiple agreements with so many different countries, from very established nations to emerging economies,' she said, adding that the event's expansion serve to 'enlarge global ecosystems' rather than simply create events. 'With AI growing at the blistering pace, you can't not be connected with the global – and very disparate – ecosystem,' she said.
Emirates 24/7
22-05-2025
- Emirates 24/7
Tech, Startup, and Digital Investments Event kicks off in Berlin
- Artificial Intelligence: GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything Examines Dominant Tech Driving €2.7 Billion Economic Windfall -Europe's largest inaugural tech, startup & digital investments event highlights the technology redefining the region's digital future at Messe Berlin from 21-23 May Artificial Intelligence (AI) is swiftly redefining Europe's digital landscape, transforming industrial productivity, scientific discovery, public services efficiency, and socio-economic development at scale. With McKinsey projecting AI could add €2.7 billion to European economic output by 2030 – translating to a potential 20% GDP increase – GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything is poised to magnify the exponential value accompanying this incomparable technology. Organised by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and KAOUN International, the region's largest inaugural tech, startup, and digital investments event is running at Messe Berlin from 21-23 May. Featuring over 1,400 big tech enterprises, startups, and SMEs alongside over 600 investors and 500 global speakers from more than 100 countries and 35 European states, the event's programme explores the rising potential of AI, cloud, cybersecurity, quantum computing, green tech, and more. Tech Titans Converge to Showcase AI's Disruptive Power An illustration of AI's transformative potential, a recent European Parliament study anticipates labour market productivity increases as high as 37% by 2035. Central to this scenario are the world's most reputable tech enterprises currently driving cross-sector disruption through innovative AI-powered solutions – many of whom are GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything exhibitors and partners. Alongside AI changemakers including AWS, IBM, Cisco, and Honeywell, such exhibitors include Nutanix, a global cloud software leader showcasing Nutanix Enterprise AI (NAI). Alongside core data centres and on public cloud services including AWS EKS, Azure AKS, and Google GKE, this extended AI infrastructure platform can be deployed on any Cloud Native Computing Foundation® (CNCF)-certified Kubernetes® environment. Thomas Herrguth, General Manager Germany at Nutanix, said: 'GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything fills a huge gap as a general IT trade show that has been missing in Germany for years. Building on their success and expertise in the Gulf region, we wish the organisers all the best for their first edition in Berlin. For innovative vendors like Nutanix, it's a place to showcase to businesses and the wider public alike the future of IT and what this looks like for all of us.' Geoffrey Hinton: 'The Godfather of AI' Joins Star-Studded AI Expert Panel As Europe accelerates AI development following the recently passed EU AI Act, the world's first comprehensive legal AI regulation and innovation framework, GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything spotlights emerging challenges and opportunities facing regional and international digital ecosystems. To forge consensus in new partnerships and business outcomes for more agile, business-friendly, and responsible global digital systems, GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything stages thought-provoking discussions and powerful perspectives from the world's leading voices in AI. In a historic appearance, Geoffrey Hinton – 2024 Nobel Prize winner in Physics widely recognised as the 'Godfather of AI' – delivers a keynote address poised to reshape the discourse on AI. Celebrated for his pioneering research and sobering call to control superintelligent systems, Hinton offers a nuanced view of AI's promise and perils. The event programme welcomes an international line-up of featured AI panellists across its three-day duration, all of whom have extensive expertise across increasingly AI-critical industries. These include Mark Surman, President of Mozilla; Dr. Farzana Dudhwala, Global AI Policy & Governance Lead at Meta; Prof. Dr. Antonio Krüger, CEO of the German Research Center for AI (DFKI), and executives from AWS, IBM, Airbus, SAP, Cisco, and Nvidia. Christian Darkin, Head of AI at Deep Fusion Films, also brings 'Virtually Parkinson' to the stage – the studio's pioneering AI-driven talk show featuring a digital Sir Michael Parkinson interviewing global AI leaders live for the first time. Integration at Scale: Showcasing AI's Cross-Sector Influence & Impact As per the European Commission, Europe now hosts over 35,000 early-stage startups – more than any other region globally. Boasting a vibrant entrepreneurial landscape, GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything paves the way for greater cross-border collaborations, new public-private partnerships, and the rise of a new generation of digital entrepreneurs. Ahead of his involvement as an expert panellist, Adrian Locher, Co-Founder & General Partner of Merantix Capital, one of Europe's leading AI group working with founders to integrate AI with real-world applications, said: 'We've seen AI change in the public consciousness from an exciting opportunity into the dominant, most hyped topic in the entire tech and investing world. Practically every industry will be transformed by AI, offering huge, purpose-driven opportunities for investors and founders. Two industries particularly ripe for change are finance and legal. The next wave of fintech companies is replacing legacy structures with AI-powered systems, rebuilding the antiquated plumbing of our financial world from the ground up. In the legal space, AI will revamp the menial tasks of being a lawyer, from contract work to research, thereby empowering lawyers to focus on creatively serving clients.' Locher added: 'The GITEX brand is well known for its presence in the Middle East, and it's a really exciting development that the event is coming to Europe. We're eager to meet and network with a great roster of investors, founders, and AI builders.' Since 2018, the EU and member states have also committed over €8 billion to quantum technologies, and Fortune Business Insights has projected that the European quantum market will grow at a CAGR of 33.2% from 2024-2032. The GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything programme welcomes various specialists to discuss Europe's success in driving digital innovation and championing initiatives developing AI, quantum, and deep tech. Previewing his participation, Jan Goetz, Co-CEO & Co-Founder at IQM Quantum Computers, a Finland-based global leader in building quantum computers, revealed: 'The expected business benefits of quantum and AI convergence are vast, and business leaders must therefore begin thinking about how quantum AI might impact their industry and how they can position their respective companies to take advantage of this technology. Tech Hubs in Europe have grown from local initiatives into global powerhouses – and I believe this event will serve as a significant platform for shaping the future of investments, collaboration, and digital innovation in Germany and Europe.' The European Innovation Council (EIC), Europe's largest deeptech investor, also presents its largest-ever line-up of outstanding AI-first startups and scaleups in the most advanced tech sectors. GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything is part of the GITEX global network of tech and startup events, taking place in Germany, Morocco, Nigeria, Singapore, Thailand, and the UAE. For more information, please visit: Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
