In the first quarter of 2026, Dubai's retail real estate market demonstrated resilience, despite geopolitical tensions since early March. Despite the temporary decrease in traffic, key shopping malls and urban infrastructure continued to operate normally.

There is still a shortage of high-quality space in key shopping malls, which contributes to an increase in rental rates, and encourages developers to actively expand and modernize existing facilities.

By the end of 2026, new projects with a total area of about 47 thousand square meters are expected to be commissioned. Developers are reorienting towards small-format shopping centers, which are becoming an important part of the infrastructure of residential areas. In addition to the classic shopping malls, there is a development of specialized shopping clusters.