The three day “Art Dubai” fair introduced AED 121.4 million ($33m) of new money into the Dubai economy in 2019, according to a study on its economic impact on the emirate.
Art Dubai – which is now entering its 14th year – is meant to highlight the cultural heritage of the Middle East as well as the ‘Global South’ that encompasses Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America and Australasia.
Additionally, the event bills itself as a “talent incubator” that can help launch the careers of artists, curators and other art professionals.
According to a report commissioned by Nielsen, the event created a total economic impact of AED 121.4 million to Dubai.
Of the total, AED 95.5 million ($25.9m) – or 79 percent – was due to attendee spend. According to the report, a total of 16,902 members of the general public and VIPs attending the event, 41 percent of whom were non-residents of Dubai whose primary reason for visiting the Emirate were for Art Dubai.
The report noted that the average spend in Dubai by a primary non-Dubai attendee during their trip to Art Dubai was AED 15,715 ($4,278).
The report also noted that attendee spending on accommodation totalled AED 25.3 million ($6.8m), compared to AED 18.2 million ($4.9m) for food and drink, AED 5.7 million on transportation ($1.5m), AED 25.9 million ($7m) on shopping away from the event and AED 20.4 million ($5.5m) on other expenses.
The upcoming edition of Art Dubai is scheduled to be held between March 25 and 28, 2020.
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