In a testomony to the continued resilience and vitality of its financial system, Dubai recorded a GDP of AED119.7 billion within the first quarter of 2025, marking a 4% progress from the identical interval in 2024.
Key sectors
The expansion recorded in Q1 2025 was pushed by sturdy performances throughout a variety of strategic sectors. Human Well being and Social Work actions registered the very best progress charge, rising 26% in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months. Actual Property actions grew by 7.8%, whereas Monetary and Insurance coverage actions expanded by 5.9%. Lodging and Meals Service actions recorded a 3.4% enhance, and Transport and Storage rose by 2%.
The GDP progress within the first quarter of this 12 months marks a continuation of the sturdy efficiency achieved in 2024, when Dubai’s financial system expanded by 5.8% at present costs to succeed in AED541 billion, and by 3.2% at fixed costs, totaling AED443 billion. This progress was pushed by standout performances in commerce, actual property, monetary providers, transport, and business — sectors that collectively contributed almost 78% of the entire progress achieved through the 12 months.
Information as a progress catalyst
His Excellency Younus Al Nasser, Chief Govt of the Dubai Information & Statistics Institution, Digital Dubai stated: “In an period outlined by information and AI, dependable statistics are indispensable for understanding present developments and anticipating future developments. The Q1 2025 outcomes replicate Dubai’s financial progress, enabling policymakers, researchers, and companies to make well-informed selections.
As a part of our mission at Dubai Information & Statistics Institution, Digital Dubai, we stay targeted on fostering integration with related entities to make sure that information serves stakeholders throughout all ranges — supporting the overarching objectives of the federal government and the forward-looking imaginative and prescient of our management.”
His Excellency Hadi Badri, CEO of Dubai Financial Growth Company (DEDC), the financial growth arm of the Dubai Division of Financial system and Tourism (DET), stated: “At a time when companies, buyers, and entrepreneurs are searching for stability and certainty, Dubai’s sustained and diversified financial progress continues to underscore its world attraction. Guided by town’s visionary management and powered by sturdy public-private collaboration, Dubai’s efficiency via 2024 and into the primary quarter of 2025 displays our continued momentum in direction of reaching the objectives of the Dubai Financial Agenda D33.”
“As we glance to speed up additional progress, our focus stays on implementing strategic initiatives and constructing each native and worldwide partnerships, in flip unlocking new alternatives, enabling innovation, and turning concepts and plans into scalable, industrial successes.”
Human well being and social work
The human well being and social work sector reached AED1.9 billion within the first quarter of 2025, reaching a 26% progress in comparison with the earlier 12 months’s first quarter. It accounted for 1.5% of Dubai’s whole GDP, contributing 0.3 share factors to general financial progress.
Actual Property
The true property sector, a cornerstone of Dubai’s financial construction, grew by 7.8% in Q1 2025, contributing 7.5% to the emirate’s GDP, with a complete worth of AED9 billion and driving financial progress by 0.6 share factors.
Finance and Insurance coverage
This sector achieved an actual progress of 5.9% in Q1 2025 in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months, reaching AED16 billion, up from AED15.12 billion in Q1 2024. It accounted for 13.4% of Dubai’s financial system and contributed 0.8 share factors to general progress.
Lodging and Meals Providers
This sector recorded 3.4% progress, reaching AED4.9 billion, contributing 4.1% to the GDP and driving progress by 0.14 share level.
Info and Communications
The Info and Telecommunication sector grew by 3.2%, with a complete worth of AED5.3 billion, contributing 0.14 share factors to financial progress and accounting for 4.4% of the emirate’s GDP.
Wholesale and Retail Commerce
This sector contributed 23% to the financial system, with a worth of AED27.5 billion, up from AED26.3 billion in the identical interval in 2024, marking a 4.5% enhance and boosting financial progress by 1.03 share factors. Commerce exercise helps all different financial sectors by offering all kinds of products that serve a number of features — whether or not as inputs, intermediates, closing consumption merchandise, or for capital formation functions.
Manufacturing
The Manufacturing sector grew by 3.3%, reaching AED8.7 billion in Q1 2025 in comparison with AED8.4 billion in the identical interval final 12 months. It contributed 7.3% to GDP and 0.24 share factors to financial progress.
Transport and Storage
The Transport and Storage sector grew by 2% in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months, reaching AED15.7 billion, up from AED15.4 billion in Q1 2024. It contributed 13% to Dubai’s GDP and added 0.27 share factors to progress. The sector encompasses all actions pertaining to land, water or air transport involving people, items, dealing with and storage actions, and postal providers. Air transport stays the biggest contributor inside this sector attributable to its excessive output.
Different actions
Different actions accounted for 26% of the GDP within the first quarter of 2025, recording a progress of 1.9% in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months and contributing 0.5 share factors to general financial progress.
The Dubai Information and Statistics Institution is at the moment increasing the survey base and recalibrating the GDP time sequence together with different financial indicators. This initiative is a part of a broader transformation plan to undertake up to date worldwide classifications and implement world finest practices, making certain information outputs higher serve the wants of customers.