The International Music Summit (IMS) will return to Dubai this fall.
This will be the electronic music industry conference’s second time in the United Arab Emirates after debuting in Dubai in late 2024. The event will happen November 13-14 at 25hours Hotel One Central.
At this year’s conference, IMS will gather industry figures from the MENA region and beyond for panels, keynotes, networking opportunities and evening programming, with specific programming to be announced in the coming months.
IMS’ return to the region happens as the Middle East remains a key growth market, with the IFPI Global Music Report noting that MENA was “the world’s fastest growing region and saw recorded music revenues increase by 22.8% in 2024.” It added that the region was “dominated by streaming,” with those revenues accounting for 99.5% of the total.
“It’s exciting to see how IMS Dubai has already become a vital touchpoint for the region,” IMS co-founder Pete Tong said in a statement. “The energy, curiosity, and ideas we saw last year made it clear that this is a place that can provide lots of knowledge and value. What’s even more inspiring is the way music, culture, finance, and technology come together at this event. We’re really building momentum and giving a platform to local and international talent who are moving the needle and pushing boundaries. Dubai is fast becoming a hub for forward-thinking creators, and IMS is right at the heart of it.”
The long-running Ibiza edition of IMS also happened on the namesake island last month. The three-day event included the annual presentation of the IMS Business Report, which looks at the global growth areas, challenges and overall financial landscape of the industry. This year’s report valued the global electronic music industry at $12.9 billion in 2024.
IMS is owned by Beatport, which acquired a majority stake in the conference in 2023.