• A year of unprecedented success sees DFRE deliver world-class festivals that welcomed millions of participants, enhancing quality of life for visitors and residents, and strengthening Dubai’s reputation as one of the world’s most vibrant cities
  • Retail initiatives delivered a 144% average increase in spending, with participation from 1,300+ brands across 4,000+ outlets
  • The year kicked off with the landmark 30th edition of the iconic Dubai Shopping Festival
  • Dubai Calendar consolidated its role as the city’s comprehensive events platform, listing and amplifying 1,000+ events
  • Record participation in Dubai Fitness Challenge, ahead of 10th anniversary edition in 2026

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an entity of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), delivered an exceptional calendar of world-class festivals, events and citywide experiences throughout 2025, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a leading global destination for retail, entertainment, tourism, and innovation. The year’s achievements demonstrate DFRE’s pivotal role in driving economic growth, enhancing quality of life, and delivering on the ambitious vision of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, to double the city’s economy and further consolidate Dubai’s position as a leading global destination for business and leisure.

Throughout 2025, DFRE delivered a dynamic portfolio of signature festivals, including the 30th edition of Dubai Shopping Festival, the record-breaking ninth edition of Dubai Fitness Challenge, the fourth edition of Dubai Esports and Games Festival, and the expanded 28th edition of Dubai Summer Surprises. This was complemented by the Dubai Calendar, which featured over 1,000 citywide events. Collectively, these initiatives attracted millions of residents and visitors, supported economic activity across multiple sectors, and showcased Dubai’s distinctive ability to create memorable experiences that appeal to diverse audiences.

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), said: “Guided by our city’s visionary leadership, 2025 was a transformative year for DFRE, marked by record-breaking achievements across our flagship festivals and initiatives. Our success reflects the strength of Dubai’s integrated approach to tourism, retail, and entertainment, underpinned by exceptional public-private sector collaboration. From the landmark 30th edition of Dubai Shopping Festival, to the record participation seen during the Dubai Fitness Challenge, Dubai delivered world-class experiences that drove meaningful impact and strengthened the city’s global appeal. As we look ahead, with the 10th anniversary Retail Calendar well underway, featuring 18 festivals and campaigns across 250 days, DFRE is committed to supporting the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, and to further consolidate Dubai’s position as a leading global destination for business and leisure, and the best city to visit, live and work in.”

Retail excellence and economic impact

DFRE’s retail initiatives delivered exceptional results throughout 2025, with campaigns achieving a 144% average increase in spending, 86% customer satisfaction, and 80% awareness levels. Retail participation reached an impressive scale with 1,300+ brands across 4,000+ outlets engaged in various campaigns. The launch of the Great Dubai Summer Sale and the innovative Shop, Scan & Win programme generated over AED 150 million in sales and drove a 200% increase in retail spending, achieving 88% customer satisfaction.

Dubai Shopping Festival celebrates 30 years of excellence

Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) marked a momentous milestone in 2025, celebrating its 30th anniversary with the city's largest and most comprehensive edition ever. From 6 December 2024 to 12 January 2025, the iconic 38-day festival transformed Dubai into a non-stop celebration featuring over 125 events and experiences across more than 60 citywide venues, 619 A-list concerts and entertainment shows, and savings at more than 3,500 outlets spanning over 850 brands across 100+ participating malls.

The anniversary edition introduced new experiences including the inaugural DSF Nights at Dubai Festival City Mall, DSF Auto Season showcasing over 2,000 vehicles across 16 events, and the first-ever Hatta x DSF mountain adventure. Shopping activity reached record levels with over 295 raffles and retail promotions worth an astounding AED 50 million awarded to 1,115 lucky winners, including 23 brand-new cars, AED 21 million in cash, and AED 1.5 million worth of gold.

Dubai Fitness Challenge achieves record participation

Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) 2025 concluded its most comprehensive edition yet, achieving record participation with over 3 million participants embracing the vision of making Dubai one of the world’s most active cities. The ninth edition, held throughout November, encouraged residents and visitors to complete 30 minutes of daily activity for 30 consecutive days, offering countless ways to "Find Your Challenge." The flagship events delivered unprecedented numbers: Dubai Run presented by Mai Dubai welcomed over 307,000 runners, marking a significant 338% increase since the inaugural edition in 2019; Dubai Ride presented by DP World set a new record with 40,327 cyclists; over 5,000 participated in Dubai Stand Up Paddle; and Dubai Yoga successfully debuted with 3,500 participants.

Premier international sporting events throughout November – including the Dubai Premier Padel P1, DP World Tour Championship, Dubai T100 Triathlon, and Emirates Dubai Rugby Sevens – showcased Dubai as a global sports destination.

Dubai Esports and Games Festival strengthens gaming hub ambitions

The fourth edition of Dubai Esports and Games Festival (DEF) concluded with record-breaking success, welcoming more than 45,000 fans, families, and professionals across 12 major events spanning 17 action-packed days. The festival engaged audiences across the full gaming ecosystem – from families and students to developers, creators, and business leaders. The festival’s scale was underscored by participation from 775 companies and brands, reinforcing DEF’s value as a platform for brand engagement and market expansion, and directly supporting the goals of the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033, positioning Dubai as a regional hub for the gaming industry.

Dubai Summer Surprises delivers biggest-ever summer season

Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) 2025 concluded its most dynamic and value-packed season to date, transforming Dubai into the ultimate summer destination across 66 action-packed days from 27 June to 31 August. The 28th edition marked a strategic evolution with three curated shopping seasons for the first time in DSS history – Summer Holiday Offers, Great Dubai Summer Sale, and Back to School – driving a 110% increase in average consumer spending. The retail success was anchored by participation from more than 1,050 brands at over 3,800 outlets across 100+ retail destinations, with the Great Dubai Summer Sale’s Shop, Scan & Win campaign alone generating over AED 150 million in consumer spend.

Entertainment reached impressive heights with 76 concerts and shows across 35 citywide venues, featuring international stars such as Shreya Ghoshal, Natalie Imbruglia, Macy Gray, and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, alongside regional icons and family favourites. Dubai’s culinary landscape came alive with over 60 participating restaurants offering curated menus during Summer Restaurant Week and the DSS edition of 10 Dirham Dish, available at more than 700 F&B outlets. The flagship Modesh World 2025 attracted 17,340 visitors across 27 days, offering 112 attractions across five specially curated zones, alongside 423 live shows and 28 on-stage workshops in partnership with 16 Dubai Government entities.

Year-round excellence: Dubai Calendar and Gastronomy

Beyond the flagship festivals, DFRE’s Dubai Calendar strengthened its role as the city’s comprehensive events platform, listing and amplifying over 1,000 events annually that attracted hundreds of thousands of participants. Dubai’s gastronomy sector also flourished in 2025, with restaurants and cafés participating in innovative programmes that strengthened Dubai’s position as a global culinary destination. Notable initiatives included the launch of the Emirati Cuisine Programme and ICCA Emirati Chef Competition, the Ramadan Street Food Festival attracting 65,000+ visitors across 60+ restaurants, a record-breaking Dubai Restaurant Week featuring 100+ restaurants, and the expanded 10 Dirham Dishes programme engaging 700+ restaurants during DSS – the largest edition to date. Two Dubai establishments were named among the World’s 50 best Restaurants 2025 – Trèsind Studio (#27) and Orfali Bros (#37) – while the latest edition of the Best Chef Awards saw the city become home to two winners of Three Knives, five winners of Two Knives, and six winners of One Knife.

Business events support the knowledge economy

Dubai continued to strengthen its position as a global hub for business events in 2025, with Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau and a division of DFRE, driving efforts internationally. Dubai hosted 481 events that were the direct result of bidding activity by DBE in previous year, representing a 11% year-on-year increase. Ensuring a robust pipeline for the coming years, DBE spearheaded 504 bid wins, for international conferences, congresses, meetings and incentives, which will take place in Dubai through to 2029. Combined, they are expected to bring over 270,000 delegates to Dubai, driving economic impact and contributing to Dubai’s knowledge economy.

Strategic alignment and future commitment

Looking ahead, DFRE remains committed to innovation and excellence, building on the remarkable legacy established across its flagship festivals while exploring new opportunities to enhance Dubai’s appeal as a global destination. With Dubai Fitness Challenge preparing for its landmark tenth edition in 2026, the continued evolution of Dubai Shopping Festival, and ongoing expansion of the Dubai Calendar, DFRE is well-positioned to deliver an even greater impact in supporting Dubai’s vision as one of the world's most dynamic and appealing cities.

About Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment

Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), is responsible for developing Dubai’s retail and festival sectors and supporting the positioning of Dubai as a world-class tourism destination with year-round family entertainment, shopping and events.

For further information, please contact:
Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism
mediarelations@dubaidet.ae