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August 18, 2026
Gulfood is one of Dubai’s major international events for the food and beverage industry, bringing together manufacturers, distributors, importers, retailers, chefs, hospitality professionals, technology providers and buyers from around the world. For visitors, where they stay can have a direct impact on how efficiently they move between meetings, exhibition halls and business appointments.
Gulfood 2026 marked an important change in the event format. The exhibition was held across Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) at Expo City Dubai, creating a significantly larger footprint for attendees to cover. The 2026 edition took place from 26–30 January 2026.
With two venues involved, accommodation planning required more than simply finding somewhere close to an exhibition centre. Visitors needed to consider their meeting schedule, Metro connectivity, taxi availability, travel time between venues and their plans outside exhibition hours.
This article looks at the key areas to consider, how to travel to the two Gulfood venues, how Metro access can simplify daily commuting, and what F&B professionals should keep in mind when planning an exhibition-focused stay.
Gulfood 2026 was held across Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai from 26 to 30 January 2026. It was the first Gulfood edition to operate simultaneously across the two locations.
The change meant that attendees could no longer assume that staying close to one exhibition venue would necessarily be convenient for their entire schedule.
Before deciding where to stay, check:
This is particularly important for exhibitors and buyers who may have a tightly scheduled week.
The two-venue format makes transportation one of the most important factors when choosing accommodation.
Visitors spending most of their time at DWTC may benefit from staying in the Trade Centre area or elsewhere with convenient access to the Red Line.
Those whose schedules focus on Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City may prefer accommodation with an easy route to Expo 2020 Metro Station.
For visitors covering both locations, a property with convenient access to the Dubai Metro Red Line can provide a useful middle ground.
The key is to consider the entire journey rather than just the distance shown on a map.
Different Dubai districts suit different types of Gulfood visitors. Your priorities should determine which location makes the most sense.
Trade Centre is one of the most practical areas for visitors whose schedules are concentrated around DWTC.
Dubai World Trade Centre is located along Sheikh Zayed Road and is served by World Trade Centre Metro Station (R22) on the Red Line.
The area is particularly relevant for:
For someone comparing a hotel in Sheikh Zayed Road, convenient access to the Red Line may be more valuable than simply choosing accommodation based on its straight-line distance from DWTC.
Downtown can be suitable for visitors who want to combine Gulfood with meetings, restaurants and sightseeing.
The area is connected to the Red Line and provides access to several major business and leisure destinations.
However, it is not immediately beside either Gulfood venue. If you have early starts and full exhibition days, calculate the daily commute before booking.
Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Dubai Marina can appeal to visitors who want to combine business with leisure.
Both areas have Metro access and provide a large selection of restaurants and evening activities. They may work particularly well for professionals extending their business trip or arranging meetings around Marina and JBR.
The main consideration is the longer journey to the exhibition venues compared with Trade Centre.
Deira can be attractive for visitors who want access to Dubai Creek, traditional markets, restaurants and Old Dubai.
The area has access to Dubai Metro, although some journeys towards the exhibition venues may require an interchange.
For a visitor attending Gulfood for several consecutive days, the additional travel should be weighed against the advantages of the location.
A common mistake is to compare accommodation based only on distance.
A property that appears close to an exhibition venue may not provide the quickest practical journey if it is far from a Metro station or requires several transport changes.
Instead, consider:
Accommodation → station/road → transport → exhibition venue → hall
Then calculate the return journey.
Even a 15–20 minute difference each way can add several hours over a five-day event. For buyers, exhibitors and business owners, that time could instead be used for supplier meetings, networking or follow-up work.
Dubai Metro is particularly useful for Gulfood visitors because the two exhibition areas are connected by the Red Line.
The RTA network identifies World Trade Centre Station as R22 and Expo 2020 Station as R76 on the Red Line.
This gives visitors staying near suitable Red Line stations a practical public transport option for both venues.
Visitors travelling to DWTC can use World Trade Centre Metro Station.
After leaving the station, follow the event signage towards the relevant exhibition entrance. The walking route may differ depending on the hall you need to reach.
Before leaving your accommodation, check your hall and entrance information rather than assuming that every part of the exhibition is equally close to the station.
Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City is served by Expo 2020 Metro Station.
Visitors staying along the Red Line can travel towards Expo City without needing a taxi for the full journey.
Travellers starting from the Green Line may need to change trains at an interchange such as BurJuman or Union, depending on their starting station.
This was particularly important for Gulfood 2026.
Both World Trade Centre and Expo 2020 are on the Red Line, allowing visitors to travel between the two areas without changing Metro lines.
However, the train journey is only one part of the total travel time.
Allow for:
For this reason, avoid scheduling meetings at both venues with very little time between them.
Both options can be useful during Gulfood.
For exhibitors transporting samples or equipment, a taxi can be considerably more practical.
For routine commuting, Metro can be a useful way to keep transportation predictable.
International attendees should also consider airport connectivity.
Dubai International Airport is connected to the Metro network, including routes that provide access towards central Dubai and the exhibition districts.
For travellers with several suitcases, a taxi may be more convenient immediately after an international flight. Once settled, Metro can become a practical option for daily exhibition travel.
If your trip is very short, also compare the time required to travel from the airport to your accommodation and then to the venue each day.
The right location depends largely on how you will use your time at the event.
Prioritise quick access to the Trade Centre area.
Exhibitors may need to arrive earlier than general attendees for stand preparation, team coordination and other operational tasks.
Map your meetings before selecting accommodation.
If most appointments are at DWTC, staying closer to that area can save time. If meetings are split between both venues, Red Line access becomes more important.
Consider a location with convenient Metro connectivity.
This can provide flexibility if your schedule changes during the exhibition.
Consider your other appointments before choosing accommodation.
If you have meetings in DIFC, Downtown, Dubai Marina or other business districts, a central location with strong transport connections may be more practical than staying immediately beside one venue.
“Central Dubai” is a broad description and does not necessarily mean convenient for Gulfood.
A property that is slightly farther from the venue but close to a Metro station may provide a more efficient daily journey than one that appears closer but has poor public transport access.
When comparing locations, check:
This gives you a better understanding of the actual travel commitment.
If your schedule covers both venues, leave sufficient time between appointments.
A practical itinerary might look like:
Morning: Meetings at DWTC
↓
Midday: Travel towards Expo City
↓
Afternoon: Product sourcing and networking at Dubai Exhibition Centre
↓
Evening: Client dinner or supplier meeting
Avoid filling every available time slot.
Large exhibitions involve considerable walking, queues, conversations that run over schedule and unexpected networking opportunities. A short supplier meeting can easily take longer when discussions involve pricing, distribution, product specifications or samples.
A little flexibility can prevent you from missing the next appointment.
Teams should consider more than just sleeping arrangements.
If several colleagues are travelling together, they may need space to work, prepare presentations or review supplier information after the exhibition.
For longer business trips, useful considerations may include:
However, these features should support the event itinerary rather than dictate it.
For example, an accommodation option with excellent facilities may still be inconvenient if the team needs a long taxi journey every morning to reach DWTC.
Choosing only by room price
A cheaper room can become more expensive when daily taxi costs are added.
The 2026 format made it important to know whether your meetings were at DWTC, Dubai Exhibition Centre or both.
The two locations are connected by Metro, but they are separate exhibition districts. Allow sufficient time for the complete journey.
A short distance on a map does not always mean an easy commute.
Build time into your itinerary for walking, transport and finding halls.
Client dinners, supplier meetings and networking events may be held away from the exhibition venue. Consider these when selecting your base.
Choosing where to stay for Gulfood is ultimately about managing your time efficiently. The 2026 edition expanded across Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City, making it particularly important to consider your complete event schedule rather than focusing on one exhibition location.
Visitors focused on DWTC can benefit from accommodation around Trade Centre and locations with convenient Red Line access. Those with meetings at Expo City should consider how easily they can reach Expo 2020 Metro Station. Professionals visiting both venues may find a well-connected location more useful than one that is simply close to one venue.
Before booking, map your meetings, identify the halls you need to visit, check the nearest Metro station and estimate the complete door-to-door journey. Leave enough time between appointments for walking and venue navigation.
For longer business trips, hotel Apartments in Dubai can offer additional space and practical facilities, while the location remains the key consideration for an exhibition-focused stay.
The goal is straightforward: reduce unnecessary travel and keep more of your time available for discovering products, meeting suppliers, building partnerships and making the most of Gulfood.
Planning your stay for Gulfood 2026? Find useful answers about the event venues, convenient areas to stay in Dubai, Metro access, travel between the two venues, and accommodation options for exhibitors and business visitors.
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