Exhibition Stand Rules in Dubai: DWTC and Expo City Guide

Short answer: Dubai’s big trade fairs now run across two venues: Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) in the city and Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) at Expo City. At both, an outside stand builder must register on the venue’s Contractor Plus portal before build-up. Stand height, double-deck and deadline rules are set per show in the organiser’s exhibitor manual, not in one public venue rulebook. Published manuals for DWTC shows allow 2.5 m walls as standard, up to 4–6 m with approval, and double-storey stands only on island sites. Rigging and mains electrics are reserved for the venue or the organiser’s official contractors.

Updated 26 September 2026. Rules below are quoted from the organisers’ and venues’ own documents. Always check the manual for your specific show, because limits differ from event to event.

Which venue is your show in? 2026–2027 dates

Several of Dubai’s largest shows have moved to, or expanded into, Dubai Exhibition Centre. Check your venue first, because it decides your logistics and access.

• GITEX GLOBAL moves to Dubai Exhibition Centre in 2026. DEC says: “For the first time ever, GITEX Global … will take place at the Dubai Exhibition Centre.”
• Gulfood 2027 moves to March. Opening hours are 10:00–18:00 from 15 to 18 March and 10:00–17:00 on 19 March.
• WHX Dubai 2027 opens at 11:00 on 25 January and closes at 17:00 on 28 January.

Rule 1: register your contractor on Contractor Plus

Both venues control contractor access digitally.

• Dubai Exhibition Centre: “External contractors appointed for custom stand builds will need to register on Contractor Plus, our digital portal for managing contractor and vehicle access.” The portal issues digital contractor and vehicle passes and books access times.
• DWTC shows use the same system. The MRO Middle East 2026 manual (held at DWTC) states: “All contractors / vehicles must register through the venue DWTC Contractor+ portal.”
• Organisers set the registration deadline. The Beautyworld Dubai exhibitor guide says: “Register all contractors on the DWTC Portal by two weeks before the event.”

A contractor who is not registered cannot get passes for workers or trucks, so treat this as a hard deadline.

Rule 2: height limits are set per show

There is no single published height limit for all of DWTC or DEC. The limit comes from each show’s manual. Here is one current example from a DWTC show:

An earlier DWTC contractor technical manual, published for a 2022 DWTC event, set the same 2.5 m general height (“the total height of the stand must not be more than 2.5 meters”). It classed stand fitting over 4 m as a complex stand that needs special approval. Shell-scheme displays could not exceed 2.4 m.

What this means for design: plan your stand at 2.5 m, and go higher only after the organiser approves it in writing. On island sites, 4 m is a common first limit, and 6 m needs approval.

Rule 3: double-deck stands in Dubai

• The MRO Middle East 2026 manual says: “Double storey stands are only permitted on island sites.” It also says: “All two storey stands are classified as complex structures.”
• The earlier DWTC contractor technical manual adds three rules:
  • “Double-decker stand designs will only be accepted if there is a valid double-decker stand booking.”
  • “The minimum size for all double storey stands is 36 sq/m and subject to design approval.”
  • Submissions need “structural drawings and calculations (in English)” from qualified structural engineers.
• DWTC’s own stand-building service lists “Space-only, pavilions and double-decker” stands.

So book double-deck space with the organiser first. Then submit engineered drawings before the organiser’s design deadline.

Rule 4: design submission deadlines

Deadlines are show-specific. Two published examples:

• MRO Middle East 2026 (DWTC, show dates 4–5 Feb 2026): “All Island and/or raw-space booths must submit their plans … no later than 2nd January 2026”, about five weeks before the show.
• Beautyworld Dubai (DWTC): “Submit the final stand design by four weeks before the event.” The same guide sets the risk assessment form at five weeks before and contractor registration at two weeks before.

Build-up is short at DWTC. At MRO Middle East 2026, space-only stands got access on 2 February 2026 from 08:00 to 20:00, two days before opening. Plan pre-assembly in the workshop so on-site time goes on installation, not construction.

Rule 5: rigging and mains power belong to the venue or official contractors

• Rigging: the MRO Middle East 2026 manual names “DWTC Rigging Department” as the official rigging contractor, the only contractor “authorized to rig any items”. The earlier DWTC manual says the DWTC Events Services Department “is the sole provider of all top and primary rigging at the venue”.
• Electrics: the same 2026 manual says: “The official contractors appointed by the Organizers are the only individuals permitted to carry out electrical installations.”
• Ordering utilities: DWTC sells utilities (15 A and 30 A sockets, single- and three-phase boards, water, waste and compressed air) through its EventPlus platform. DWTC advises exhibitors to “Consult with your stand contractor as early as possible” about what they need.

Your stand builder should design the lighting plan and hanging points around these services and tell you what to order.

Rule 6: fire-retardant materials and certificates

• MRO Middle East 2026: “All materials used in display construction or decorating should be made of fire-retardant materials and be certified as flame retardant.”
• Earlier DWTC manual: infill materials “must be flame retardant treated to BS5867 Part 2 minimum and a certificate of flame retardant treatment must be available.”

Keep the certificates on the stand during build-up and the show.

Checklist for a Dubai stand

1. Confirm the venue and halls (DWTC, DEC, or both) and your stand type: space only, shell scheme or pavilion.
2. Download the show’s exhibitor manual and write down the height limit, design deadline, risk assessment deadline and build-up slot.
3. Register your stand builder on Contractor Plus before the organiser’s deadline.
4. For double-deck stands, book double-deck space and prepare structural drawings and calculations in English.
5. Order power, water, rigging and internet from the venue or official contractors.
6. Collect fire-retardant certificates for every material.

VAV Grup designs and builds custom stands in its own workshop in Istanbul and installs them across Europe and the Middle East. Request a project-specific proposal.

Related guides

• Exhibition stand builder in Dubai
• GITEX stand builder
• WHX Dubai (Arab Health) stand builder
• How much does an exhibition stand cost?

Frequently asked questions

Is there one stand height limit for Dubai World Trade Centre?

No single public limit applies to every DWTC show. Each organiser sets it in the exhibitor manual. Published DWTC manuals use 2.5 m as the standard wall height, with 4 m or 6 m possible after approval.

What is Contractor Plus?

Contractor Plus is the digital portal that DWTC and Dubai Exhibition Centre use for contractor and vehicle access. External stand builders must register on it to get worker and vehicle passes.

Can I build a double-deck stand at DWTC?

Yes, if the organiser allows it. Published DWTC rules limit double-storey stands to island sites, require a double-deck space booking, and ask for structural drawings and calculations. An earlier DWTC manual set a minimum of 36 m².

Is GITEX 2026 at DWTC or Expo City?

GITEX GLOBAL 2026 is at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai, in the North and South Halls, from 7 to 11 December 2026. This is its first year at that venue.

Can my stand builder hang a truss from the ceiling?

Not independently. At DWTC, the venue’s rigging department is the only party authorised to rig items. Your builder supplies the truss and the rigging plan.

Sources

• Dubai Exhibition Centre – Exhibitor services (Contractor Plus): https://www.dubaiexhibitioncentre.com/en/exhibitor-services
• Dubai Exhibition Centre – GITEX GLOBAL 2026: https://www.dubaiexhibitioncentre.com/en/whats-on/gitex-global-2026
• GITEX GLOBAL – official site: https://www.gitex.com/
• Gulfood – official site: https://www.gulfood.com/
• World Health Expo Dubai – Exhibitor FAQs: https://www.worldhealthexpo.com/events/healthcare/dubai/exhibit/exhibitor-faqs/
• Big 5 Global – Event at a glance 2026: https://www.big5global.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Big-5-Global-Event-at-a-glance-2026-07.09-2.pdf
• Beautyworld Dubai (Messe Frankfurt Middle East) – Exhibitor guide: https://beautyworld-dubai.ae.messefrankfurt.com/dubai/en/exhibitor-services/exhibitor-guide.html
• MRO Middle East 2026 (Aviation Week) – Exhibitor manual: https://mromiddleeast.aviationweek.com/content/dam/markets/avia/mro-middle-east/en/2026/exhibition/MROME26_Exhibitor_Manual102825pdf.pdf
• Dubai World Trade Centre – Contractor technical manual (published for a 2022 DWTC event): https://cdn.asp.events/CLIENT_Dubai_Wo_4B15F265_5056_B739_54F3125D47F0BC95/sites/SFF2022/media/Technical%20Manual-converted.pdf
• Dubai World Trade Centre – Stand building: https://www.dwtc.com/en/exhibit/stand-building/
• Dubai World Trade Centre – Utilities: https://www.dwtc.com/en/exhibit/utilities/