Dubai emerges as one of world’s most popular wedding destinations

Dubai is fast emerging as the city of choice for destination weddings, with a growing number of wedding and event planners across the world recommending the city to couples as the perfect venue to celebrate their weddings.

This is in line with the efforts aimed at boosting the emirate's stature as a perfect place for living, work and visit, and a global destination for weddings.

The city’s world-class infrastructure, picturesque resorts, luxury hospitality offerings, services, exceptional track record for safety, and diverse tourism attractions have made it the ideal destination for organising memorable social events.

People across the world are increasingly choosing Dubai to celebrate not only weddings, but also milestone celebrations and personal occasions.

With the availability of highly-skilled wedding and event planners, its distinctive locations, eclectic culinary scene, cultural diversity, and unmatched packages for all budgets, Dubai offers a special experience for wedding couples and guests.

As part of efforts to showcase Dubai as a hub for destination weddings, the city hosted the 5th edition of the Dubai Global Wedding Excellence (GWE) retreat and forum from January 9-10.

The event drew wide participation from industry and destination experts, event and wedding planners and companies specialised in providing wedding facilities and services

Laila Suhail, CEO of Strategic Alliances & Partnerships Sector, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, commented: “We are proud to highlight Dubai’s world class proposition as the city of choice for destination weddings in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the world’s most visited destination. As a global lifestyle hub, Dubai is not only the ultimate getaway for couples looking to experience an unforgettable wedding but also offers wonderful settings to mark their special occasions such as anniversaries. Apart from couples, families and friends visiting Dubai to attend weddings can also enjoy an array of unforgettable cultural, dining, entertainment and shopping experiences.

“Dubai’s exceptional value offering as a wedding destination was showcased at the Global Wedding Excellence retreat, one of our key vehicles for driving the city’s campaign to raise its profile as the ideal choice for destination weddings. The range of international accolades that the city has received has also contributed significantly to bolstering the city’s reputation as a wedding destination. The city was named the No.1 global destination for two successive years in the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards. Dubai’s remarkable growth as a preferred wedding destination would not have been possible without the support of all stakeholders. We will continue to work with our partners and event and wedding planners to showcase Dubai as a dream destination for celebrating weddings and milestones.”

The annual Dubai Global Wedding Excellence (GWE) retreat and forum provides a platform for experts, professionals and influencers from across the wedding, lifestyle and events sectors to network, share ideas, exchange best practices and explore new ways to give couples memorable weddings and anniversary celebrations.

Over 70 international wedding planners, experts and companies from key source markets attended the event. The retreat saw strong participation from Dubai’s traditional and emerging markets including countries from the Middle East, Africa and Asia, as well as India, UK and the US.

The event showcased 11 hotel groups in the city including their new and ‘out of the box’ venues, as well as 12 major wedding industry suppliers.

The event highlighted Dubai’s vibrant culinary landscape, with MICHELIN starred restaurants such as Hakkasan displaying their wedding service capabilities.

The event also shed light on the array of distinctive wedding locations in Dubai. Hotels that participated in the event included Atlantis, The Palm; Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah; Madinat Jumeriah; Terra Solis; W Dubai The Palm; Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah; Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah’ Sofitel Dubai The Palm; Armani Hotel Dubai; Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai; and The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai. Other key industry players that participated in the event included Equifax, Encore, Wild Goose, FnP UAE, LiveInFive, Vidira, Royal Tent, Red Velvet, Soundkraft, Pure Magic and Event Houzz, Pangea, ALR, Party Social and Melrish.

This year’s GWE edition also featured founders and leaders of international digital wedding platforms such as Arabia Weddings, Guides for Brides, Beyond Weddings, Weddings Online, and Smashing the Glass. By providing a platform for players across the industry to connect with each other, the event sought to raise the global visibility of Dubai’s wedding offering.

Dubai offers a multitude of stunning backdrops and world-famous landmarks for wedding celebrations, including the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Frame, Museum of the Future and Ain Dubai, as well as a broad portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts. Moreover, the city offers year-round sunshine, iconic settings and unique venues for social events. Whether it is a sparkling cityscape, a beautiful sandy beach, a lush green garden, stunning mountain views or rolling sand dunes, Dubai provides spectacular locales for destination weddings.

Dubai is home to more than 794 luxurious hotels, all of which uphold the highest standards of local hospitality and provide unique ambiences for wedding couples and guests to create exceptional memories.

A global gastronomy hub, the city’s culinary tapestry is enriched by influences from the food cultures of over 200 nationalities, providing innumerable choices that can suit diverse tastes and preferences.

The debut of the MICHELIN Guide Dubai in June 2022 endorsed the city’s emergence as a leading international fine dining hotspot.

The inaugural edition of the Guide features 69 restaurants, including 14 winners of the Michelin Bib Gourmand, an award that recognises restaurants that serve high-quality food at reasonable prices.

With its strategic geographical location midway between the West and East and rising status as a global aviation hub, Dubai ranks as one of the world’s most connected cities.

Dubai is less than eight hours away from anywhere in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Moreover, Dubai is highly open and accessible with simplified visa procedures and entry requirements.