Abu Dhabi’s events industry has secured a fresh international endorsement after ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi won five global awards at Eventex 2026, strengthening the capital’s standing as a major hub for exhibitions, conferences, sporting events and high-value business tourism.
ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, the flagship venue of ADNEC Group, a Modon company, was recognised across five categories: World’s Best Sustainable Venue, World’s Best Convention Centre, World’s Best Exhibition Venue, World’s Best Sports Venue and World’s Best Wedding Venue. The awards place the venue among the leading global event facilities at a time when cities are competing more aggressively to attract international congresses, trade shows, brand activations and destination events.
The sustainability award reflected the centre’s shift towards cleaner operations, including the use of clean energy across its facilities. The recognition for convention, exhibition, sports and wedding capabilities underlined the breadth of its operating model, which has expanded beyond traditional trade exhibitions into multi-format venue management. The centre now serves sectors ranging from defence, energy, healthcare and finance to lifestyle, culture, leisure and social events.
Eventex 2026 drew 1,405 entries from 58 countries, making this year’s competition one of the largest in the awards’ 16-edition history. The judging process involved 251 specialists from 43 countries, including senior figures from global brands, international associations, convention bureaus, agencies and creative businesses. The evaluation covered creativity, innovation, planning, execution, effectiveness and measurable impact.
Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Group CEO of ADNEC Group, said the awards reflected Abu Dhabi’s strategic position as a destination for exhibitions, conferences and international meetings. He said the achievement pointed to the trust placed in the centre by partners and clients seeking large-scale, professionally managed events supported by advanced infrastructure.
Al Dhaheri said the recognition also placed a responsibility on the group to continue improving experiences for partners in the exhibitions, conferences and business tourism sectors. He linked the awards to ADNEC Group’s broader strategy of expanding into new sectors, supporting economic diversification and strengthening the emirate’s role as a platform for global business and innovation.
Khalifa Al Qubaisi, Chief Commercial Officer at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, said the awards highlighted the centre’s strong presence in the global exhibitions and events sector. He pointed to operational expertise, integrated services and investment in international standards as factors behind the venue’s performance.
The wins come during a busy 2026 calendar for ADNEC Group’s UAE venues. The group has lined up 192 events in the first half of the year across its domestic portfolio, including 125 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi and 67 at ADNEC Centre Al Ain. The programme spans exhibitions, conferences, meetings, social events and major public gatherings, with several events making their Middle East debut.
ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi has also benefited from Abu Dhabi’s wider tourism and business events push. The emirate has positioned meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions as a key contributor to non-oil growth, with large venues playing a central role in drawing international visitors, corporate delegations and specialised industry gatherings.
The venue’s scale remains a central advantage. ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi offers 153,678 square metres of event space and is part of a wider Modon events, catering and tourism portfolio that includes ADNEC Centre Al Ain, ExCeL London and the Business Design Centre in the United Kingdom. This gives the group a cross-market platform at a time when event organisers increasingly seek venue operators with international experience, flexible formats and integrated services.
Eventex, founded in 2009, has become a recognised benchmark for the events and experiential marketing industry. Its categories cover event production, venue performance, destination appeal, technology, sustainability, visitor experience, team capability and brand engagement. For ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, the five awards provide external validation in areas that matter to global organisers: environmental performance, operational capacity, venue flexibility and customer experience.
ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, the flagship venue of ADNEC Group, a Modon company, was recognised across five categories: World’s Best Sustainable Venue, World’s Best Convention Centre, World’s Best Exhibition Venue, World’s Best Sports Venue and World’s Best Wedding Venue. The awards place the venue among the leading global event facilities at a time when cities are competing more aggressively to attract international congresses, trade shows, brand activations and destination events.
The sustainability award reflected the centre’s shift towards cleaner operations, including the use of clean energy across its facilities. The recognition for convention, exhibition, sports and wedding capabilities underlined the breadth of its operating model, which has expanded beyond traditional trade exhibitions into multi-format venue management. The centre now serves sectors ranging from defence, energy, healthcare and finance to lifestyle, culture, leisure and social events.
Eventex 2026 drew 1,405 entries from 58 countries, making this year’s competition one of the largest in the awards’ 16-edition history. The judging process involved 251 specialists from 43 countries, including senior figures from global brands, international associations, convention bureaus, agencies and creative businesses. The evaluation covered creativity, innovation, planning, execution, effectiveness and measurable impact.
Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Group CEO of ADNEC Group, said the awards reflected Abu Dhabi’s strategic position as a destination for exhibitions, conferences and international meetings. He said the achievement pointed to the trust placed in the centre by partners and clients seeking large-scale, professionally managed events supported by advanced infrastructure.
Al Dhaheri said the recognition also placed a responsibility on the group to continue improving experiences for partners in the exhibitions, conferences and business tourism sectors. He linked the awards to ADNEC Group’s broader strategy of expanding into new sectors, supporting economic diversification and strengthening the emirate’s role as a platform for global business and innovation.
Khalifa Al Qubaisi, Chief Commercial Officer at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, said the awards highlighted the centre’s strong presence in the global exhibitions and events sector. He pointed to operational expertise, integrated services and investment in international standards as factors behind the venue’s performance.
The wins come during a busy 2026 calendar for ADNEC Group’s UAE venues. The group has lined up 192 events in the first half of the year across its domestic portfolio, including 125 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi and 67 at ADNEC Centre Al Ain. The programme spans exhibitions, conferences, meetings, social events and major public gatherings, with several events making their Middle East debut.
ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi has also benefited from Abu Dhabi’s wider tourism and business events push. The emirate has positioned meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions as a key contributor to non-oil growth, with large venues playing a central role in drawing international visitors, corporate delegations and specialised industry gatherings.
The venue’s scale remains a central advantage. ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi offers 153,678 square metres of event space and is part of a wider Modon events, catering and tourism portfolio that includes ADNEC Centre Al Ain, ExCeL London and the Business Design Centre in the United Kingdom. This gives the group a cross-market platform at a time when event organisers increasingly seek venue operators with international experience, flexible formats and integrated services.
Eventex, founded in 2009, has become a recognised benchmark for the events and experiential marketing industry. Its categories cover event production, venue performance, destination appeal, technology, sustainability, visitor experience, team capability and brand engagement. For ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, the five awards provide external validation in areas that matter to global organisers: environmental performance, operational capacity, venue flexibility and customer experience.
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