If you are used to planning GITEX for mid-October, this year your calendar needs an update. The Dubai Government Media Office confirmed that GITEX Global, together with the startup show Expand North Star, is relocating to Expo City Dubai and moving to December.
Dates and venue
- 7 December 2026: GITEX Global Scale Summit opens the week.
- 8–11 December 2026: the exhibition itself.
- Venue: Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai, not Dubai World Trade Centre as in previous years.
The Media Office calls the shift to December “a strategic repositioning”: it places the event in Dubai’s peak tourism season, so visiting executives and investors can stay longer. The new venue is also set to undergo a $2.7 billion expansion.
What it means if you plan to attend
- Travel time. Expo City is near Al Maktoum airport and Dubai South. From Al Barsha or Business Bay allow 35–50 minutes by car, or use the Red Line metro to Expo 2020 station.
- Hotels. December is high season. If partners are flying in, book early.
- Budget cycles. Many companies close their IT budget in December. Vendors at GITEX often announce year-end offers, so it is a good week to compare prices for hardware, licences and cloud services.
Meet us at GITEX
Our engineers will be walking the halls during the show. If you are evaluating network equipment, security systems or Microsoft licensing, write to us before the event: we can prepare a short list of stands worth visiting for your project and help you compare offers afterwards.
Source: Dubai Government Media Office: GITEX GLOBAL to begin a new chapter at Expo City Dubai in 2026
