Dubai CommerCity, a division of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), and Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) participated in GITEX 2022. They displayed several advantages to support creativity and digital innovation as well as advance the performance of Dubai’s creative sector. The first free zone devoted to digital commerce, Dubai CommerCity, showed regional applicability of international retail and digital commerce trends as part of the event.
Together, they provided a variety of strategies to help entrepreneurs launch their careers in the cultural and creative industries, including those in the performing arts and celebration, visual arts and crafts, design and creative services, and audiovisual and interactive media.
They gave entrepreneurs in the fields of literature, culture, fine and performing arts, heritage, history, and knowledge the chance to apply for a long-term cultural visa (the ‘golden visa,’ which grants creative talents a 10-year residency in the country).
Discussing global retail and digital commerce trends, and their adaptability to the region, Mitch Bittermann, Senior Vice President of Commercial at Dubai CommerCity, said, “Looking to the future of digital commerce, some of the most significant predictable digital commerce trends will include conversational commerce, super-apps, and the metaverse, which we have already started experiencing. Some other retail trends include the beacon technology, digital experience mall, contactless shopping, micro-fulfilment centres within shopping malls, among others.”
Dubai CommerCity also emphasized its efforts to support creativity and digital innovation by providing a Talent Pass for independent contractors working in the creative industries, offering co-working spaces with cutting-edge technology to meet the needs of creative entrepreneurs, and extending various creative workspaces, studios, conference rooms, exhibition spaces, and art gallery spaces.