GITEX Global 2026 Guide: Dates, Venue, Tickets, Exhibitors and Visitor Strategy

Last reviewed: July 2026. Updated weekly in the 90 days before the show against official GITEX and DWTC sources.

GITEX Global 2026 is not just a bigger edition of the same show. It is moving venue for the first time in its history, reuniting with Expand North Star under one roof, and adding a citywide “TechCation” concept that blends the exhibition with Dubai’s tourism season. If you are planning to attend, exhibit, or simply figure out whether GITEX Global 2026 is worth the trip, this guide covers the dates, the new venue, ticket types, how to actually plan your floor time instead of wandering it, and the transport details that matter more this year than in any previous edition.

GITEX Global 2026 Quick Facts

Dates, Venue, Opening Hours and Ticket Types

GITEX Global 2026 runs from 7 to 11 December 2026, with the schedule split into two distinct parts. 7 December is the GITEX Scale Summit, a single day of high-level strategic dialogue for global leaders on AI economies, policy and investment trends. 8 to 11 December is the main exhibition, where the show floor, exhibitor stands, startup zones and most public sessions run.

The single biggest change for 2026 is the venue itself. After 45 years at the Dubai World Trade Centre, GITEX Global has relocated to the Dubai Exhibition Centre inside Expo City Dubai, the site of Expo 2020. This is a purpose-built venue undergoing a multi-billion-dirham expansion to become the region’s largest indoor events space, and it is also where Expand North Star, the startup and investor arm of the event, now runs alongside the main show rather than as a separate satellite event.

Ticket types for GITEX Global 2026 registration:

• GITEX Global visitor pass: AED 630, covering exhibition hall access, most sessions and networking areas
• Expand North Star pass: free of charge, for the startup, investor and venture capital programming
• Exhibitor and delegate passes: issued separately through the official exhibitor registration process, with pricing tied to stand size and package

Register through the official GITEX Global website, since third-party ticket resellers are not an authorised channel for this event.

Who Should Attend and Major Technology Themes

GITEX Global’s own registration categories give a clear picture of who the event is actually built for: corporate and enterprise buyers, government entities, distributors and resellers, investment funds, accelerators and incubators, SMEs, and startups. If your organisation fits any of these categories and touches technology procurement, partnerships, or investment, the event is designed around your presence, not just around exhibitor foot traffic.

The 2026 edition organises its exhibitor and content categories around these themes, which is the most useful filter for deciding which halls to prioritise:

• Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Analytics
• Cybersecurity, Cloud Services and Data Centres
• Fintech and Digital Finance
• Future Mobility and Transportation
• HealthTech and Digital Health
• Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart Cities
• Quantum and High Performance Computing
• Robotics and Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
• Web 3.0, Blockchain and emerging digital assets
• Sustainability and Green Tech

For a founder or investor specifically, Expand North Star’s return to the same site means startup showcases, pitch competitions and investor meeting programmes now sit a short walk from the main enterprise and government halls, rather than requiring a separate visit across the city.

How to Research Exhibitors and Build a Meeting Plan

The single biggest mistake first-time GITEX visitors make is arriving without a plan and trying to walk the entire floor. With thousands of exhibitors spread across a venue of this scale, that approach wastes most of a day. Instead:

• Use the official exhibitor directory, released ahead of the show on the GITEX website, to shortlist companies by hall, theme and stand number before you arrive
• Prioritise by your actual objective, sourcing suppliers, scouting investment targets, or benchmarking competitors, rather than by browsing broadly
• Pre-book meetings where exhibitors offer scheduling tools; senior decision-makers on major stands are frequently booked solid by mid-morning on peak days
• Group your shortlist by hall and theme so you are not crossing the venue repeatedly between unrelated zones
• Build in buffer time between meetings; a venue of this scale means walking times between halls are longer than at most conference centres

If your goal is deal-making rather than general exploration, treat your GITEX visitor strategy the same way you would treat a multi-stop client trip: fixed appointments first, discovery time second.

Travel, Metro, Parking and Nearby Accommodation

Getting to the new venue is more straightforward than the venue change might suggest, but it does require adjusting habits from previous editions held at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

• Metro: the Dubai Metro Red Line’s Route 2020 extension runs directly to Expo 2020 Station, within walking distance of the Dubai Exhibition Centre. This remains the fastest and most reliable way to reach the venue during peak show hours, and it is the option DWTC itself points visitors toward based on experience from Expo 2020 and COP28
• Parking: more than 10,000 parking spaces are available across the site in this phase, split between a large zone on the Sustainability side and a smaller allocation near the northwest side of the Dubai Exhibition Centre
• Shuttle buses: DWTC has arranged shuttle services connecting the Dubai World Trade Centre to the new venue during peak show windows, useful if you are coordinating with other meetings still based in that part of the city
• Airports: Dubai International Airport (DXB) is roughly 35 kilometres away, a 35 to 45 minute taxi depending on traffic; Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) sits significantly closer to Expo City Dubai, worth checking if your flight options include it
• Accommodation: Rove Expo City is the only hotel located inside Expo City Dubai itself, a short walk from the exhibition centre; DWTC has stated three hotels sit within walking distance of the venue, more than 45 within a 20-minute drive, and over 150 within 30 minutes

Book accommodation and metro-adjacent options early. Hotel rates around major Dubai trade shows rise sharply as the event date approaches, and this is the first year the surrounding hotel supply is being tested at this specific venue.

One-Day, Three-Day and Full-Event Visitor Itineraries

• One day (Scale Summit or a single Expo day): pick either 7 December for the Scale Summit’s strategic content, or one Expo day matched to your priority theme (for example, cybersecurity and cloud on one day, fintech and mobility on another)
• Three days: cover your two or three priority themes across the halls, reserve one afternoon for the Expand North Star startup zone, and keep one block free for follow-up meetings that come out of first-day conversations
• Full event (7 to 11 December): treat the Scale Summit as a strategic orientation day, then use the following four days to work through exhibitor meetings systematically by hall, with the final day kept lighter for closing conversations and travel logistics

For visitors combining GITEX with other business in Dubai during the same trip, our broader guide on top industry events in the UAE helps you check whether other shows overlap with your dates.

Advice for Exhibitors and Startup Teams

• Confirm your stand package and any co-located Expand North Star startup package early; the new venue’s zoning differs from the previous Dubai World Trade Centre layout
• Budget shipping and stand build timelines with extra buffer in this first year at the new venue, since logistics providers are still calibrating routes and access points at Expo City Dubai
• If you are a startup applying through Expand North Star, prepare your pitch materials and investor target list well before the show; investor meeting slots at events of this scale fill quickly
• Plan your team’s on-site schedule around the Scale Summit day if your leadership wants access to the policy and investment dialogue rather than only the exhibition floor

Related Dubai Tech and Startup Opportunities

GITEX Global sits inside a much broader push behind Dubai’s competitive knowledge economy ambitions, and it is one of several reasons international companies treat Dubai as a base for regional expansion rather than a one-off event stop. If you are exploring why so many companies choose to exhibit, invest or set up here in the first place, our guide on why Dubai is a global hub for business events covers the wider picture, and our guide to the most in-demand skills in the UAE job market is worth a look if you are attending to scout talent as much as technology.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the official GITEX Global 2026 dates?

7 to 11 December 2026, with the Scale Summit on 7 December and the main exhibition running 8 to 11 December.

Where is GITEX Global 2026 held?

At the Dubai Exhibition Centre inside Expo City Dubai, the event’s first year away from its long-time home at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

How much does a GITEX Global visitor ticket cost?

The standard visitor pass is AED 630. The Expand North Star pass, covering the startup and investor programming, is free.

Is Expand North Star part of GITEX Global 2026?

Yes. For 2026, Expand North Star returns to the same site as GITEX Global at Expo City Dubai, rather than running as a separate event elsewhere.

What is the best way to get to the new venue?

The Dubai Metro Red Line’s Route 2020 to Expo 2020 Station is the fastest option during show hours. Over 10,000 parking spaces and shuttle services from the Dubai World Trade Centre are also available.

Do I need to book hotels near Expo City Dubai in advance?

Yes. Only one hotel, Rove Expo City, sits inside Expo City Dubai itself, and nearby hotel rates rise quickly as the show approaches, so early booking is strongly advised.