Dubai to build world's largest automotive marketplace to boost vehicle trade

DUBAI: The Dubai government has announced plans for what it says will be the world’s largest and most advanced automotive marketplace, a 22-million-square-foot complex designed to process more than 800,000 vehicles annually.

The Dubai Auto Market will feature over 1,500 showrooms, clustered workshop zones, warehouses, multi-storey car parks, an auction house, a convention centre and hotel facilities, along with retail and F&B outlets.

Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister, oversaw the launch and said the project would attract fresh investment and support the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to double the emirate’s economy by 2033.

The market will handle electric, hybrid and conventional vehicles, linking exporting countries to fast-growing markets in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Officials say it will provide a one-stop destination for traders through integrated customs, accommodation and logistics services.

Dubai Municipality has signed a partnership agreement with DP World’s Economic Zones division to establish and manage the hub. The expanded market is expected to double the current automotive trade, valued at AED 6.8 billion, reinforcing Dubai’s position as the Gulf’s leading vehicle trading centre.