Dubai’s tourism industry is increasingly demonstrating its strength, with the city’s hotel sector delivering sustained performance growth, according to the latest data released by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) ahead of the opening day of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026. The performance through August reflects the strength of the systems, partnerships and diversified market base that Dubai and its partners have built over the years. It is a testament to the resolve of an industry that has continued to invest, innovate and deliver for its guests, and it underlines confidence in the destination’s position heading into the final

Season 5 of the biggest cricket league in the Gulf region – the second-most watched T20 league in the world – DP World International League T20 will begin on Sunday, 22 November 2026. The six-team, 34-match tournament, which has featured some of the biggest T20 stars over the years, will climax with the Season 5 finale on Sunday, 20 December, at the Dubai International Stadium. The league moved to a December window in Season 4; the first three seasons were played in the January-February window. Season 4 was a big success with enhanced broadcast numbers, and spectator attendance. The tournament’s final

One of Dubai’s longest-running sporting traditions returns from 27 to 29 November 2026 when Emirates Dubai 7s takes over The Sevens Stadium on Al Ain Road. The event has grown far beyond a conventional rugby tournament. International rugby sevens remains at its heart, with the 2026–27 HSBC SVNS season beginning in Dubai across Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November, but the wider festival now combines community sport, youth competitions, elite fitness, music, food and family entertainment. That mixture has helped Emirates Dubai 7s develop an identity that is difficult to compare with most other sporting events in the city. Some competitions ask spectators to

Dubai T100 Triathlon returns from 13 to 15 November 2026 with a new Al Mamzar race location and three different distances designed to attract everyone from experienced endurance athletes to first-time triathletes. The headline 100km event combines a 2km swim, 80km bike ride and 18km run. Athletes looking for a shorter challenge can choose the Olympic-distance event, while newcomers have the option of entering a sprint triathlon. That range is important because triathlon can initially appear intimidating. Training for one endurance discipline already demands commitment. Triathlon asks athletes to prepare for three different sports while also learning how to transition efficiently from one to another. Yet

Dubai Fitness Challenge returns from 31 October to 29 November 2026 for a landmark 10th edition, celebrating a decade since the city first invited residents and visitors to complete 30 minutes of physical activity every day for 30 consecutive days. The idea has always been deliberately simple. You do not need to become a professional athlete. You do not need an expensive gym membership. You do not even need specialist equipment. Walk, run, cycle, swim, practise yoga, play football or choose another activity. The objective is simply to move for at least 30 minutes each day. That straightforward concept has developed into one of Dubai’s largest

Dubai Muscle Show will celebrate its 10th anniversary from 30 October to 1 November 2026, bringing three days of bodybuilding, strength, functional fitness, combat sports and industry exhibitions to Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City. The anniversary edition demonstrates how far both the event and Dubai’s wider fitness culture have developed during the past decade. Organisers are preparing for approximately 45,000 attendees, more than 2,000 competitors and over 450 exhibiting brands across a huge exhibition area. Yet the most important development is not simply size. Dubai Muscle Show is no longer an event that appeals only to competitive bodybuilders. Bodybuilding remains central, but the wider

Dubai’s fast-growing functional fitness community will face another major challenge when DEKA FIT Dubai takes over Coca-Cola Arena on 26 September 2026. The event brings running and functional exercise together in a competition designed to test much more than one area of athletic ability. Being an excellent runner is not enough. Pure strength is not enough either. Participants must repeatedly switch between cardiovascular work and functional challenges while managing fatigue, technique and pacing. That combination is exactly why hybrid fitness racing has become increasingly attractive to athletes who want their training to produce measurable performance rather than simply improvements in one discipline. What Makes DEKA FIT

Dubai Basketball will begin its second EuroLeague campaign with one of the biggest possible tests when Real Madrid arrives at Coca-Cola Arena on 24 September 2026. The opening-night fixture immediately puts Dubai in the European basketball spotlight. Rather than easing into the campaign against a less established opponent, the city’s team will face one of the most successful organisations in European basketball history. For fans in the UAE, it is exactly the kind of fixture that demonstrates how quickly Dubai Basketball has evolved. What was recently an ambitious new sporting project is now preparing to host Real Madrid in a competitive EuroLeague

A new mobile app launching in Dubai is redefining how people and brands create content for social media. Rushot, now available on the App Store and Google Play, connects users with professional videographers and photographers in their vicinity and delivers polished, custom videos within two hours. Every single piece of content produced through Rushot—from reels and stories to photos—is shot exclusively on mobile phones ensuring quick turnaround times and an authentic aesthetic tailored for social media platforms. Using location-based geotags, customers can instantly find and book a content creator nearest to them for events, brand activations, weddings, or personal milestones. Once the

This autumn, Horse & Hound at Al Habtoor Polo Resort is giving guests plenty of reasons for fun, with two lively celebrations set to add a little extra energy to Dubai's social calendar. Kicking things off with its first-ever Hoedown on September 26th and play host to an afternoon of country music, line dancing, mechanical bull rides, and hearty sharing dishes, before transporting diners to Bavaria with an extended Oktoberfest celebration running until October 31st. Horse & Hound has long been a favourite at Al Habtoor Polo Resort, offering a relaxed take on the classic menu of comforting favourites, a welcoming atmosphere,