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Dubai’s economy sustained its strong growth trajectory in the first half of 2025, exceeding expectations and reinforcing its position as one of the world’s most competitive and dynamic urban economies. The emirate’s GDP expanded by 4.4 per cent to reach Dhs241bn in the first six months of the year, while in the second quarter alone, GDP rose 4.7 per cent to Dhs122bn.
This performance was driven by robust expansion across multiple key sectors, underscoring Dubai’s diversified economic base and long-term resilience.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said: “Dubai’s economic performance reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, whose leadership has created a unique model of sustainable growth defined by innovation, excellence and global competitiveness. This vision continues to create new opportunities for investment, enterprise, and talent, underpinned by long-term planning and forward-looking policies.”
“Each percentage point of growth is also the outcome of strong collaboration between diverse stakeholders, disciplined execution of strategies, and the emirate’s ability to turn global challenges into new possibilities for progress. Further, the high GDP growth in the first half of the year reaffirms the progress of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which continues to translate our vision into measurable results. As we look ahead, we remain committed to advancing initiatives and forging partnerships that further strengthen Dubai’s position as a leading global economic hub,” His Highness added.
The human health and social work activities sector led growth, expanding 20 per cent and contributing 1.4 per cent to overall GDP growth. The construction sector also posted impressive gains, rising 8.5 per cent and contributing 6.7 per cent to Dubai’s GDP in H1 2025.
His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said: “Dubai’s first-half GDP performance reflects the strong vision and leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. It highlights our city’s ability to continually adapt to shifting global dynamics, while advancing the long-term objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33. The results also highlight the strength of Dubai’s public-private sector partnerships, which continue to be characterised by shared ambition and strategic alignment.
“Dubai’s economy continues to demonstrate competitiveness, resilience, and agility across its bellwether sectors and new and high growth horizons, consistently attracting investors, entrepreneurs and talent from around the world, while also developing homegrown capabilities and becoming a launchpad for global expansion. As we look ahead, we remain focused on building a future-ready, knowledge-driven economy that sustains momentum and also yields further opportunities for investment and innovation.”
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A dynamic, resilient, and sustainable economy
His Excellency Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of Digital Dubai, said: “Dubai’s exceptional economic performance in the first half of 2025 underscores the strength, resilience, and dynamism of its economy, demonstrating its ability to adapt to global changes while sustaining long-term competitiveness. This growth continues to advance the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which aims to double the size of the economy within the next decade and position Dubai among the world’s top three urban economies, in line with the emirate’s long-term strategic vision.”
“Guided by our visionary leadership, Dubai has built a solid foundation for sustainable development, strengthening its position as a leading global hub for business and investment. At Digital Dubai, we take pride in driving this journey by accelerating digital transformation, advancing technology adoption across all sectors, and enhancing operational efficiency to ensure sustained growth and reinforce Dubai’s position as a global leader in digital innovation,” His Excellency added.
Strong sectoral performance
His Excellency Younus Al Nasser, CEO of the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment, said: “The remarkable outcomes achieved by Dubai’s economy in the first half of 2025 reflect exceptional performance across key sectors and the effective collaboration between government entities and the private sector. This partnership continues to shape a future where Dubai, a city powered by real-time data, leads through innovation, technology, and data-driven decision-making.”
His Excellency Hadi Badri, CEO of Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), added: “The robust expansion we witnessed – particularly in health, construction, real estate, and financial services – is the direct result of the creation and development of a business ecosystem purpose-built for agility and scale. The H1 growth also reflects the effectiveness of Dubai’s innovation-friendly policies that continue to enhance competitiveness and attract high-value investment. At DEDC, we remain focused on building on this positive trajectory to create new growth pathways with the support of our public and private sector partners.”
Sector highlights
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Human health and social work activities: The fastest-growing sector, up 20 per cent in H1 2025 to Dhs3.3bn, contributing 1.4 per cent to GDP.
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Construction: Expanded 8.5 per cent year-on-year, contributing 6.7 per cent to GDP, with a value added of Dhs16bn.
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Real estate: Grew 7 per cent in H1, contributing 8.2 per cent to GDP at Dhs19.8bn, supported by a 40 per cent increase in sales.
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Financial and insurance activities: Expanded 6.7 per cent, contributing 12.5 per cent to GDP, with a total value of Dhs30.2bn.
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Information and communications: Increased 5.3 per cent, contributing 4.5 per cent to GDP at Dhs10.8bn.
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Accommodation and food services: Grew 4.9 per cent in H1, with value added of Dhs8.7bn, aligned with a 6 per cent increase in international visitors to 9.88 million.
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Wholesale and retail trade: Grew 4.4 per cent, contributing 23.8 per cent to GDP at Dhs57.4bn.
The Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment is currently recalibrating GDP time series and key indicators to align with international standards, leveraging expanded data sources to deliver a more accurate picture of the emirate’s evolving economy. This process underscores Dubai’s commitment to transparency and evidence-based policymaking as it continues to pursue sustainable, diversified growth.
