Dubai Active Industry 2025: Global Wellness Leaders & First UAE Report

Dubai Active Industry, the Middle East’s leading international trade show for health, fitness, and wellness, returns for its ninth edition from 24^th to 26^th October 2025 at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City. Welcoming 40,000 visitors including leading buyers, distributors, and retailers from across the sector and held in collaboration with Dubai Sports Council, the 2025 chapter will set a new industry standard with the debut of the UAE’s first collaborative Health & Fitness Industry Report, a powerful line-up of global thought leaders, and an expanded schedule of networking experiences designed to connect every corner of the sector.

Kicking off with a padel tournament and an Official Pre-Opening at Roxy Cinemas - Dubai Hills, the event places networking at the heart of the experience. Expanded opportunities include Speed Networking, the CEO Forum delegates’ lunch, a curated Buyers’ Dinner, the VIP Buyers Lounge powered by Qodeca, and the Official Networking Party presented by Your Personal Training – making Dubai Active Industry the ultimate meeting place for business professionals across fitness, wellness, and health.

One of the most anticipated moments will take place at the CEO Forum, where Dubai Active Industry will unveil the first-ever collaborative UAE Health & Fitness Industry Report. Produced with independent research consultancy Qantara Sports and leading operators such as Fitness First, GymNation, Warehouse Gym, UFC Gym UAE, PureGym Arabia, Precision Wellness, OneFit Holding, and many more, the study will provide the most comprehensive analysis to date of operator performance and consumer behaviour across the country, positioning the sector for its next phase of growth.

The Summit Series will once again serve as the intellectual heartbeat of the event, featuring the CEO Forum, Future Wellness Summit, XPRO Summit, and the all-new ICREPS Global Standards Summit and MENA Roundtable.

At the CEO Forum, the UAE’s Health & Fitness Industry Report will officially launch, with the working group welcomed to the stage. Speakers include Mark Buchanan, CEO of Fitness First Middle East; Loren Holland, CEO of GymNation; and Dr. Dimitri Koutsoubakis, CEO of KUN Sport and former CEO of OneFit Holding and Wellfit, among others, who will explore how data-led collaboration can reshape the fitness landscape. A panel led by Cedric Betis, Wellness Consultant at the Dubai Future Foundation, will spotlight how public–private collaboration is key to positioning the UAE as a global wellness hub. Dutch Futurist Prof. Dr. Carl Rohde, Founder of Science of the Time, will present foresight on the next wave of wellness, from biohacking to immersive fitness experiences and wellness tourism, based on interviews with over 300 C-Suite executives.

At the Future Wellness Summit, designed for leaders in hospitality, healthcare, and wellness, Paulina Mercader, CEO GCC Region at The Longevity Suite, and Dr. Craig Cook, CEO of The Brain & Performance Centre at DP World, will explore how longevity clinics are moving from niche to mainstream within the UAE’s evolving healthcare system.

In the XPRO Summit, Patrick Benjani, Executive Director of Inspire Fitness Academy, will address accreditation and education, focusing on how the next generation of fitness professionals will be trained.

New for 2025, the inaugural ICREPS Global Standards Summit will unite international regulators and fitness leaders to launch the Global Scope of Practice and Global Professional Standards for Registered Personal Trainers - a milestone moment for raising industry standards worldwide.

Also new for 2025, the MENA Roundtable will see eight industry leaders look beyond gyms to explore urban wellness strategies, positioning fitness as a catalyst for healthier communities in the MENA region.

Tom Reece, Marketing Director of IEG Middle East, said: “Dubai Active Industry is where the business of wellness happens. This year’s event goes beyond panels and exhibitions; it’s about creating opportunities for leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs to connect, collaborate, and grow. With the first-ever collaborative UAE Health & Fitness Industry Report, an expanded Summit Series, and unique networking experiences ranging from padel tournaments to curated industry dinners, 2025 will be a key year for the sector in the Middle East.”

Dubai Active Industry will also facilitate more than 750 buyers’ meetings and showcase over 400 brands from around the world. Registration is complimentary for industry professionals, who also gain access to a state-of-the-art B2B matchmaking app for seamless business connections.

The event is supported by leading partners, including Qodeca (Buyers Lounge Sponsor), Enhance Fitness (Silver Sponsor), Your Personal Training (Networking Party Sponsor), and Active IQ (Education Partner).