What's going on in Dubai?
Dubai is always a bustling and lively hub of activity, with events being hosted almost every day. These range from those aimed at tourists, such as food festivals, to those focused on attracting corporate visitors, like medical conferences.
No matter who the targeted audience is, the outcome is still the same: attracting more people to the emirate to achieve the goal of enticing 20 million visitors every year by 2020.
Here are a selection of upcoming events that are sure to have people coming to Dubai's shores in droves.
SIKKA Art Fair
Between March 14th and 24th, the SIKKA Art Fair will be showcasing the work of 50 UAE-based artists that represent over 25 nations. The aim of the event is to allow this group to share their talents with their wider community, helping to foster a culture of art in Dubai.
The show will be held in the historic Al Fahidi Neighborhood and will exhibit site-specific work, covering a myriad of mediums, including audio and video installations, multi-disciplinary initiatives and music performances, as well as more traditional arts forms like painting and sculpture.
Tourists will be taken in by the colour, sound and atmosphere of the show, helping to make their trip to Dubai one they'll never forget.
GITEX Shopper
This event is the largest gathering of the region's technology retailers and suppliers, taking place between April 1st and 4th. It is a high-energy consumer showcase that attracts a diverse audience, including IT professionals, those enthusiastic about gadgets, students and regional traders.
Its popularity is not limited to the Middle East, as it attracts many people from North Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. It also boasts leasing names in the retail sector as partners, with unique offers available to attendees.
Those familiar with the event return year after year to take advantage of the exclusive deals, which are not available anywhere else.
Arabian Travel Market
The Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is one of the most popular annual tourism and travel events held in the Middle East. It has been specifically designed to unlock the business potential within the region for both inbound and outbound tourism professionals.
In its 19th year, the event will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 4th to 7th and is expected to attract thousands of people. Last year, more than 2,500 exhibitors and 15,000 meetings were held at the ATM.
The ATM is also the Middle East's premier travel trade forum and exhibition. The theme this year will be family travel, while other areas like technology, business travel, luxury and wellness will also be spotlighted during the event.
Cards and Payments Middle East
The 16th edition of the Card and Payments exhibition will return to Dubai this year on May 12th and 13th. The event will showcase the enabling technologies behind payments and identity innovation for the public to evaluate and purchase, allowing them to improve their businesses.
During its two-day run, the show will advertise new products and services that will be introduced into the lightning-paced market this year and is a must attend for those working in the fields of smart, payment and ID cards.
Dubai Sports World 2015
The emirate will host an event aimed at sport enthusiasts across the globe from June 10th to August 30th. Organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai Sports World will be open to the public, offering them the chance to enjoy their favourite sports indoors, away from the scorching summer heat.
Tourists and residents alike can use one of the biggest covered playing fields in the world to take part in several sports, including football, basketball, volleyball, tennis, badminton and much more. Courts can be booked ahead of time and people can join in with games on the day.