Dubai has transformed its business environment to become the preferred location for global investors and entrepreneurs shaping the future. Dubai’s economic ecosystem empowers businesses large and small to maximize profitable growth, forge lasting partnerships, and lead global markets with impactful innovation.  Dubai Government’s concerted efforts – including multiple aspects of future-ready governance, development of human capital, increasing connectedness, and fostering innovation – have positioned Dubai as the pre-eminent global location for fast-growth businesses that transcend geographical barriers.  

Today, Dubai is the preferred global Foreign Direct Investment destination for more than 70 percent of Fortune 500 companies and new economy entrepreneurs alike.  Make Dubai Advantage your business advantage  Explore opportunities for growth, partnership, and innovation in Dubai, the city of the future, the gateway to growth markets and the global business hub.

Prudent policies have ensured domestic resilience despite regional economic turbulence and global setbacks. A stable macro-economic environment, diversification and sustainability policies, growth strategies and infrastructure initiatives fuel outstanding economic performance.

Strategic Sectors 

Manufacturing – The vast range of manufacturing and production facilities in Dubai, from auto parts and bottling plants to furniture and refrigerators means that overseas manufacturers can take advantage of Dubai’s low costs and location to enter or expand into the Middle East. The city’s superb logistics infrastructure enables companies to import raw materials from any of their chosen suppliers and export their products to anywhere in the world with ease, efficiency and affordability.     Manufacturing accounts for 8% of Dubai’s total workforce, with annual industrial production estimated at approximately Dh200 billion. More importantly for foreign investors, the UAE Minister of Economy His Excellency Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori said in March 2012 that the government expects the UAE’s manufacturing industry to nearly double its contribution to the nation’s GDP, reaching 25% within the next 15 years.

Logistics –  Dubai is widely regarded as having some of the best logistics facilities in the world. Its location, both geographic and strategic, is a natural business gateway between East and West and has been an essential element of trade routes between Asia, Africa, Europe and beyond for centuries.     With the current booming economies of India and China in particular, Dubai is once again a focal point for global distribution, and its low logistics costs and superb infrastructure (ranked number one in the Middle East by the World Bank) have led to massive foreign investment.     Dubai is the world’s third largest re-export hub, and in 2011 the Emirate reached new highs, with exports and re-exports registering a record AED 246 billion, a 15% increase on the previous year.   

IT –  As the ever-evolving landscape of business technology continues to reach new levels of sophistication, Dubai strives to not only keep pace, but also drive the industry.     Ranked number one among Arab countries by the World Economic Forum in 2011, the UAE is at the forefront of information and communication technology in the Middle East, with Dubai at the heart of the innovation, development and application of ICT.     Foreign investment coupled with Government support continues to make huge strides in technology, with remarkable results.  The UAE is listed as fifth in the world for company-wide adoption of technology, third in the world for Government spending on advanced technical products and is the world leader for mobile phone subscription per capita.

Green Technology – As reliance on an oil-based economy continues to decrease to almost minimal levels, Dubai’s drive towards sustainable energy and green technology is among the most ambitious in the world. Policy-inspired incentives, Government investment and an influx of international expertise present unlimited opportunities in what is still a relatively untapped and highly lucrative market. The global call for nations to decrease their carbon footprint and pioneer new technology to reduce, reuse and recycle opens the door for a new generation of enterprises and a field of research and development unparalleled in recent history.Dubai is a leading light in the race to a more sustainable future, including a ‘green building code’, heavy investment in solar technology, and water and electricity initiatives to maximize resources and minimize waste.

Retail –  Over the past decade, Dubai has established itself as the world’s premier shopping destination, having rivalled and now surpassed the traditional lure of London, Paris and New York – the city was ranked first in the CB Richard Ellis’ 2011 report, “World’s Top 20 Cities for Retail”.     The sector continues to flourish and each year thousands of successful new businesses strengthen Dubai’s position as the undisputed retail leader.    

As home to more than 70 shopping malls, including the world’s largest, Dubai has a constant calendar of promotions including Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Summer Surprises, organized by the Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment, part of Dubai’s Department of Economic Development.

Travel and Tourism –   The travel and tourism sector is one of the main drivers that brought about Dubai’s positioning as a global business partner. Business and leisure tourism is still one of the mainstays of the Dubai economy and a vital pillar for its strategic plan for economic growth and development. The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing recently announced that in 2011, travel and tourism made up a massive 31% of the Emirate’s GDP.     The investment in travel infrastructure also makes Dubai one of the most accessible destinations on the planet. More than 6,000 flights arrive and depart every week at Dubai International airport. That’s the equivalent of one every 100 seconds.     Prime beaches, guaranteed sun, luxurious resorts, top entertainment, rich heritage, multicultural lifestyle and much, much more all add to Dubai’s charisma and magnetism as a tourism favourite.

Healthcare – The quality of healthcare in Dubai is widely recognized as the best in the Middle East, drawing medical experts, specialists and mentors from across the world. The eminent surgeons, doctors, nursing staff and other medical professionals based at the unique Dubai Healthcare City free zone consistently set new benchmarks of excellence have instigated ground breaking initiatives that are now practiced throughout the industry.University partners from the world’s most respected medical institutes ensure the level of education and research at Dubai Healthcare City is second to none and that the Emirate is home to the most sensitive, technically advanced and effective care available.With pioneering technology and industry best practice, Dubai not only attracts leading practitioners, but also has a thriving healthcare tourism industry, with patients travelling thousands of miles for world class treatment and dentistry. 

Education – With expats constituting the vast majority of Dubai residents, the Education sector is truly international, with primary and secondary curricula tailored to individual nationalities and their home syllabus. 

Many of the universities in Dubai are affiliated with some of the best educational institutes in the world, including the United States, the UK, Canada, Australia, India, Pakistan, France, Ireland, Iran and many more.     A recent study by Booze & Co projected that by 2020, Dubai and Abu Dhabi will experience a 54% increase in student enrolment in a market that will be worth more than AED 14 billion. And speaking in March 2012, Dr. Abdullah Al Karam, Director-General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, the regulatory authority for education in Dubai said: “The future of education relies on the private sector… we are encouraging schools to be in the business of educating their students.”    Reliance on that strategy falls squarely on the shoulders of foreign educators and foreign investors.​ 

Dubai FDI

+971 4 4455555

info.fdi@fdidubai.gov.ae