DWTC and Informa said to be readying Dubai listing

• Events company generated $6bn in 2024
• Runs Dubai Airshow and Gitex
• Global events market valued at $1trn

State-owned exhibition and events company Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) is reportedly considering a listing of a joint events business alongside UK-based Informa Group.

Rothschild & Co is advising on a potential Dubai listing, according to a report from Bloomberg, which quotes anonymous sources.

DWTC sits at the centre of Dubai’s business district, hosting flagship international trade shows including the Dubai Airshow, Arabian Travel Market, Gulfood and Gitex.

The most recent figures from DWTC show that 2024 was a record year for events hosted at the venue, generating AED22.35 billion ($6 billion) in economic value for the emirate across retail, hospitality, transport and other sectors.

The DWTC and Informa partnership was announced in March 2025 to create Informa International, which will include exhibitions, conferences, professional training and accreditation businesses of both DWTC and Informa in Dubai and connected partner markets. It was forecast at the time to have revenues exceeding $700 million.

DWTC has committed to tripling the GDP contribution of Dubai’s meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector to AED54 billion annually by 2033 as part of the emirate’s D33 Dubai Economic Agenda.

As of 2024-2025, the global MICE market was valued between $907 billion and $1.12 trillion, according to the Global Tourism Forum. Projections for 2030 suggest that could rise up to $2.4 trillion.  

The initial public offering could take place as early as this year, as per the report.

“Putting this business on the exchange isn’t just about money. It’s about unlocking value, planning for growth and aligning performance with investor expectations in a booming global market,” said Vijay Valecha, CIO at financial services company Century Financial.

DWTC and Informa were both contacted for comment.

Fewer companies are expected to list on Gulf exchanges in 2026, after a sluggish 2025, analysts previously told AGBI.

The 44 IPOs on Gulf markets last year raised $6 billion, the lowest annual total since 2020, according to Kamco Invest, based in Kuwait City.

Further reading:

• RAK tourism bolstered by event and wedding revenue
• DWTC booked out until 2034 despite DEC expansion
• Dubai shifts into global top tier for events impact

UAE IPOs expected in 2026 include Dubai Investment Park (the real estate arm of Dubai Investments), Etihad Airways and Binghatti Holding, although the Abu Dhabi airline and the Dubai-based developer have not confirmed IPO plans.

In 2025 Dubai’s Dubizzle shelved its IPO plans, pausing the process to “assess optimal timing” for the offering, the company said in a statement. 

Saudi Arabia is reportedly planning an IPO for its own events management company Sela, according to a report from publisher Semafor, a move which would generate “immense investor appetite”, said Valecha.