Independent research by Explori records a Net Promoter Score of +67 for the show’s inaugural edition, well above global benchmarks
- Final attendance exceeded 33,000 visitors from more than 50 countries
- Strong inaugural results reinforce Abu Dhabi’s people-centred approach to liveability, connecting quality of life with investment and economic growth
Abu Dhabi, UAE, November 2026: Independent research has found that LIVEX, the Liveability and Investment Exhibition, has established itself as a global platform connecting liveability, investment and economic growth. Nearly nine in ten surveyed visitors intend to return, while the 2026 inaugural edition welcomed more than 33,000 visitors from over 50 countries.
LIVEX, an Abu Dhabi Government initiative powered by the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), was established to bring together governments, policymakers, investors, developers, businesses and global thought leaders around a shared proposition that improving people’s quality of life and creating the conditions for economic growth are increasingly interconnected.
The independent post-event research was conducted by Explori, a leading global authority on event performance measurement and benchmarking.
LIVEX 2026 achieved a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of +67, well above Explori’s published global conference benchmark of +32 to +35. Its score was comparable with those of established international exhibitions that Explori has previously ranked among the top 5% of trade shows worldwide, demonstrating a particularly strong level of visitor advocacy for a first-year event. Overall visitor satisfaction reached 95.5%, while 88.4% of surveyed visitors said they intended to return in 2027, indicating strong potential for LIVEX to build a lasting international community around liveability and investment.
The findings further demonstrated the value of bringing the liveability and investment stakeholders together. More than half of surveyed visitors (52.7%) considered LIVEX very important to their business or organisation, compared with the MENA benchmark of 42.6%. Among respondents who attended to connect with developers, investors and business partners, 81.8% reported achieving their objectives to a high degree.
His Excellency Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, said: “LIVEX’s inaugural edition has demonstrated the value of a dedicated platform that brings liveability and investment into the same conversation. Its success reflects the collective effort behind the Abu Dhabi Government’s development agenda, with entities across the emirate working together to make quality of life central to the emirate’s growth through coordinated action across planning, infrastructure, mobility, public spaces and services.
“LIVEX enables policymakers, investors, developers and experts to exchange knowledge and form partnerships that turn ideas into action. Building on the foundations established this year, we intend to develop LIVEX into a leading global platform for dialogue and collaboration on the future of cities, extending its influence beyond Abu Dhabi, while delivering long-term value for its communities across the emirate.”
The research also highlighted how quality of life and economic opportunity jointly influence Abu Dhabi’s appeal as a place to live and invest. Among surveyed visitors considering relocation to the emirate, 71.4% cited quality of life, safety and community among their reasons, while 48.6% identified investment, career and business opportunities. The findings underline how the everyday experience of living in a place shapes its appeal, alongside the opportunities it offers for professional and economic growth.
Held from 29 September to 1 October 2026, LIVEX 2026 demonstrated the value of direct engagement between government and the private sector around shared development priorities. Half of surveyed visitors identified meetings with government officials as one of the exhibition’s most valuable elements, while an equal proportion highlighted networking with industry professionals.
This engagement was supported by a whole-of-government presence, bringing together Abu Dhabi entities responsible for urban planning, infrastructure, mobility, economic development, education, culture, health and community services, alongside international experts, investors, developers and businesses.
The inaugural edition also witnessed the announcement of more than 50 agreements and initiatives with a stated combined value exceeding AED 150 billion. These included investment and infrastructure projects, initiatives to improve quality of life in communities, and technologies to make cities work better, demonstrating how collaboration between government and the private sector can translate development priorities into action.
Beyond these outcomes, LIVEX created a forum to advance the global dialogue on the future of cities. Abu Dhabi has long convened international leaders, experts and institutions to exchange ideas, launch initiatives and explore solutions to shared challenges. LIVEX extends this role into urban development, bringing together prominent international voices, including Anne Hidalgo, former Mayor of Paris; Christiana Figueres, former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change; Sebastian Thrun, AI and robotics pioneer; Steve Chen, co-founder of YouTube; and Dan Buettner, longevity researcher and founder of Blue Zones. Their diverse perspectives contribute to one of the most important questions facing cities today: how to sustain economic growth while meeting people’s changing expectations for quality of life.
As cities respond to population growth, demographic shifts and evolving lifestyles, the need for more responsive and people-centric development will continue to grow. Abu Dhabi’s experience offers valuable lessons in integrating community needs with long-term planning and investment, while the experiences of other cities can contribute new ideas and approaches to addressing these challenges.
LIVEX will return to Abu Dhabi in October 2027, building on the foundations established by its inaugural edition as it develops into an enduring global platform for advancing liveability and investment.
