Dubai in 2025: A year of economic and business milestones

Op-ed by Hisham Al Gurg, CEO of Seed Group and The Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum

Dubai has experienced a successful year marked by business-friendly policy changes, strong partnerships, and a focus on innovative solutions. The Dubai Economic Agenda 2033 is a blueprint that guides the emirate towards steady and diversified development.

This vision is reflected in the city’s economic performance. In H1 2025, Dubai’s GDP rose by 4.4% to AED 241 billion, led by strong growth in healthcare, construction, and real estate. Importantly, property sales jumped by 40%, which signals strong market confidence. These figures confirm that, as 2025 comes to an end, doing business in Dubai is on firmer ground than at any point in recent history.

Economic expansion has been reinforced by tourism and aviation. As per the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, the emirate welcomed 15.7 million international visitors between January and October 2025, while hotel occupancy averaged 79.4%. 

Complementing this, Emirates reported a profit before tax of AED 12.2 billion for H1 2025–26, underlining the city’s importance as a global hub. This high demand is inevitably opening up new opportunities for tech, logistics, retail, and PropTech companies in Dubai, thus displaying the synergy across sectors.

Dubai’s momentum extends to technology and innovation. The city ranked fourth globally in the IMD Smart City Index and secured fourth place worldwide for FinTech in GFCI 38. DIFC recorded 7,700 active companies, with FinTech and innovation firms growing 28% year-on-year. Initiatives such as the Dubai AI Seal, Dubai Founders HQ, and Dubai PropTech Hub have helped make the city an appealing location for global innovators.

Hence, I firmly believe that 2025 was a sensible time to start a business in Dubai. Nonetheless, those who have not yet entered the market still have an opportunity to optimise their returns in 2026. Large-scale developments, increased aviation capacity, and a busy global events calendar all indicate that growth will persist.

As Dubai moves into 2026, the confidence I expressed a year ago has been validated. The emirate has not only stayed on course with the D33 Agenda but has also translated strategy into execution across tourism, technology, infrastructure, and capital markets. I see a city that has reduced friction for business, deepened sector maturity, and strengthened global competitiveness. For entrepreneurs and investors, the foundations are firmly in place.

The year ahead prioritises growth, efficiency, and long-term impact rather than simply entering the market. Truly, Dubai has moved beyond merely preparing for its development, as it is now actively shaping its trajectory.