GITEX Global 2026: Dates, Ticket Prices, Venue and Passes

GITEX Global 2026 runs from 7 to 11 December 2026 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai, moving from its usual October slot at Dubai World Trade Centre. The opening day is a summit day, and the exhibition floor runs from 8 to 11 December. The official visitor registration form lists the GITEX GLOBAL visitor pass at AED 630, while the Expand North Star pass is listed at no charge.

This guide covers the 2026 dates, the new venue, ticket prices and pass types, how to register, and how to plan a productive week, whether you are visiting as a buyer, a founder, a developer, or a business looking for technology partners.

What Is GITEX Global?

GITEX Global is Dubai's flagship technology exhibition and one of the largest technology events in the world. It brings together technology companies, government entities, startups, investors, and enterprise buyers across five days of exhibitions, conferences, and meetings. The show has been running in Dubai for more than four decades and is organised by Dubai World Trade Centre.

For 2026, the organisers expect more than 200,000 attendees from over 180 countries, more than 6,800 exhibiting companies, and over 400 government entities. The event runs alongside Expand North Star, the startup and investor show, and the two are back together in a single location this year.

GITEX Global 2026 Dates and Schedule

The biggest change for 2026 is the calendar. GITEX Global has traditionally taken place in October, and many people still search for it expecting an October date. In 2026 it moves to December, running from Monday 7 December to Friday 11 December.

The first day, 7 December, is a summit day focused on high-level discussions between leaders on AI economies, policy, and the trends shaping global technology investment. The exhibition itself, which is what most visitors attend, runs for four days from 8 to 11 December.

Daily opening hours for the halls had not been published in full at the time of writing. Check the official GITEX website before you plan meetings, because hours can differ between the main exhibition, Expand North Star, and the conference stages.

The December timing also changes the experience of the week. Dubai's weather is far milder in December than in October, which makes moving between halls, outdoor areas, and evening events considerably more comfortable. The organisers are leaning into this with a citywide programme branded GITEX TechCation, which extends the event beyond the exhibition floor into business, culture, and leisure activities across Dubai.

Where GITEX 2026 Is Held: The Move to Expo City Dubai

GITEX Global 2026 takes place at the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) in Expo City Dubai. This is a significant change. Recent editions were split across Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Harbour, which meant visitors often had to choose between venues or travel across the city during the day.

In 2026, GITEX Global and Expand North Star are hosted together at Expo City, so a single pass and a single venue cover the main exhibition and the startup show. For visitors, that means less time in transit and more time in meetings.

Expo City Dubai sits in the south of the city near Dubai South and Al Maktoum International Airport. If you are staying near Downtown, Business Bay, or DIFC, allow considerably more travel time than you would have for Dubai World Trade Centre. The Dubai Metro Route 2020 line connects to Expo City, which is usually the most predictable option during peak event hours.

GITEX 2026 Ticket Prices and Pass Types

At the time of writing, the official GITEX GLOBAL 2026 visitor registration form lists two prices. The GITEX GLOBAL visitor pass costs AED 630, and the Expand North Star pass is listed at no charge. Prices on the official form are the ones that apply; third-party ticket pages and older articles often show earlier editions' prices.

The visitor pass gives access to the exhibition halls. It is the right choice for most buyers, technology teams, and business owners who want to walk the floor, see what exhibitors are offering, and hold meetings at stands.

GITEX has historically also sold delegate passes, which add access to paid conferences, summits, and workshops on top of the exhibition, along with certified training passes and student passes. For 2026, a full breakdown of delegate, training, and student pricing had not been published on the visitor registration form at the time of writing. If you need conference access, check the official GITEX website for current delegate options before booking travel.

Exhibitor badges are issued separately to exhibiting companies, and invited guests of exhibitors receive access through the exhibitor. If a company you plan to meet is exhibiting, it is worth asking whether they can register you as a guest.

Is There a Free GITEX Pass?

The Expand North Star pass is listed at no charge on the 2026 registration form. Expand North Star is the startup and investor event that runs alongside GITEX Global, so this pass suits founders, early-stage teams, and investors.

Because both events are now at the same venue in Expo City, check carefully which halls and areas the free pass covers before you arrive. Promo codes and free-ticket offers circulate widely online before every edition. Treat them with caution and register only through the official GITEX website or a link provided directly by an exhibiting company you know.

How to Register for GITEX Global 2026

Registration is online through the official GITEX website. Choose your pass type, complete your professional details accurately, and pay where a fee applies. Your badge is linked to your registration, so use the email address you will have access to during the event.

If you are travelling from outside the UAE and need a visa, the registration process can generate an invitation letter after a confirmed registration and, where applicable, payment. Apply well in advance, because December is a busy travel period in Dubai.

The official GITEX mobile app is normally used for floor plans, agendas, and networking. Download it once you have registered and use its meeting tools to book time with exhibitors before the event rather than relying on chance encounters on the floor.

What to Expect at GITEX 2026

The 2026 programme centres on artificial intelligence, with particular attention to agentic AI and AI infrastructure, alongside cybersecurity, quantum computing, data centres, and smart cities. The AI Everything programme continues, and the cybersecurity zone, GITEX Cyber Valley, remains one of the busiest areas of the show.

Several zones are new or expanded this year. Advanced Manufacturing covers robotics, automation, digital twins, and supply chains. Intelligent Lifestyle looks at connected homes and AI in everyday products. Future Finance and Digital Assets brings together banks, regulators, startups, and investors around payments, tokenisation, and digital assets. GITEX New Energy focuses on clean energy and the power demands of large-scale computing.

Government pavilions are a defining feature of GITEX. UAE federal and emirate-level entities use the show to present digital government services and announce partnerships, which makes GITEX one of the few places where private companies can see the direction of public sector technology in the region in a single visit.

Getting There and Planning Your Days

The most common mistake at GITEX is arriving without a plan. The exhibition is large enough that walking it without a shortlist means spending most of your time between halls rather than in useful conversations.

Start by listing the companies, government entities, and startups you actually need to see, then group them by hall using the official floor plan. Book meetings in advance through the app or directly with exhibitors, and leave gaps between them, because moving between halls takes longer than it looks on a map. Plan a realistic number of meetings per day rather than trying to cover everything.

With the move to Expo City, plan your daily travel as carefully as your meetings. Leave earlier than you think you need to, especially on the first exhibition day, and consider staying closer to Expo City or near a Route 2020 metro station if you plan to attend several days.

GITEX Global vs GITEX Shopper

GITEX Global and GITEX Shopper are often confused. GITEX Global is the business-to-business technology exhibition covered in this guide. GITEX Shopper is a separate consumer event focused on retail deals on electronics and gadgets, held at different times with its own arrangements. If your aim is buying a laptop or phone at a discount, GITEX Global is not the event you are looking for.

Is GITEX the Right Event for Your Company?

GITEX is broad by design, and that breadth is both its strength and its limitation. For companies selling to or buying from government entities in the region, for founders raising capital, and for businesses evaluating technology partners across several areas at once, very few events offer the same concentration of decision makers.

For a company in a specialised sector such as healthcare, a dedicated industry event may produce more relevant buyer conversations per hour than a general technology show. Many companies attend both. A practical way to decide is to list the ten organisations you most need to meet and check which event they are actually exhibiting at or attending.

Using GITEX Week to Meet Software Development Partners

Many businesses use GITEX week to meet potential technology partners in person, because decision makers from both sides are in Dubai at the same time. If you are evaluating a software development company, a meeting during the week is a good opportunity to go beyond the sales presentation.

Ask to see work that is similar to your project, and ask what went wrong on a past project and how it was resolved. Ask who will actually work on your product, not just who leads the meeting. For UAE projects, ask specifically about experience with local integrations your product will need, such as UAE Pass, payment gateways, or regulatory systems relevant to your sector. A partner with real experience will answer these questions with specifics.

Pixbit's team will be in Dubai during GITEX week, and we are available to meet founders and business teams planning web platforms, mobile apps, AI products, or MVPs. If you are planning an MVP for the UAE market, a short meeting during the week is an efficient way to test scope and approach before committing.

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Summary: GITEX Global 2026 at a Glance

Item	Details
Event	GITEX Global 2026, with Expand North Star
Dates	7 to 11 December 2026 (summit day on 7 December, exhibition 8 to 11 December)
Venue	Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai
Visitor pass	AED 630 on the official registration form
Expand North Star pass	Listed at no charge on the official registration form
Delegate and training passes	Check the official GITEX website for current options
Expected scale	200,000+ attendees, 6,800+ exhibiting companies, 180+ countries
Registration	Online through the official GITEX website
Getting there	Dubai Metro Route 2020 to Expo City, or road via Dubai South

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is GITEX?

GITEX Global is Dubai's annual technology exhibition, organised by Dubai World Trade Centre. It brings together technology companies, government entities, startups, and investors for five days of exhibitions, conferences, and meetings, and is one of the largest technology events in the world.

When is GITEX 2026?

GITEX Global 2026 runs from 7 to 11 December 2026. The first day is a summit day, and the exhibition runs from 8 to 11 December. This is a change from the event's traditional October dates.

Where is GITEX 2026 held?

GITEX Global 2026 is held at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai, together with Expand North Star. Earlier editions took place at Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Harbour.

How much is a GITEX 2026 ticket?

The official visitor registration form lists the GITEX GLOBAL visitor pass at AED 630 and the Expand North Star pass at no charge. Delegate, training, and student pricing should be checked on the official GITEX website.

Is GITEX free to attend?

The main GITEX GLOBAL visitor pass is paid. The Expand North Star pass, for the startup and investor event, is listed at no charge on the 2026 registration form. Check which areas the free pass covers before you visit.

Is GITEX Shopper the same as GITEX Global?

No. GITEX Global is a business technology exhibition. GITEX Shopper is a separate consumer event focused on retail electronics deals.

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Meet Pixbit During GITEX Week

Pixbit Solutions designs and builds custom software, web platforms, mobile apps, and AI products for businesses in the UAE and the wider region, working in Laravel, React, Next.js, and Flutter. Our team will be in Dubai during GITEX week from 7 to 11 December. If you are planning a new product or rebuilding an existing one, book a meeting with our team during the week. Pixbit scopes in a single discovery session.