If you have booked a stand at a Dubai exhibition, the contractor is building you a structure — not a branded stand. Almost everything a visitor actually looks at is yours to print and bring: the back-wall graphic, the counter wrap, the standees, the lightbox skin and the literature. Budget realistically: a branded 3 x 3 m shell-scheme corner starts around AED 2,560 in graphics (a 3 x 3 m velcro pop-up backdrop at AED 2,370 plus a roll-up banner at AED 190), while a 6 x 3 m island stand on a universal system runs AED 5,800 for the frame and printed skin. Below are the panel sizes, the material choices and the real catalogue prices.
What the stand contractor actually gives you
Read your organiser's exhibitor manual before you brief anyone. A standard Dubai shell scheme — the white modular booth most organisers include with the space — typically covers:
- Aluminium frame and white infill panels on the back and side walls
- A fascia board with your company name in vinyl lettering, usually one line, organiser's font
- Carpet, two or three spotlights, one 13A socket
- A lockable cupboard, a table and two chairs on some packages
What it almost never covers: full-colour wall graphics, a branded counter, roll-ups, standees, floor stickers, lightbox skins, giveaways, literature, lanyards or badge holders. That gap is where stands either look invested in or look like a storage unit with a logo on the fascia.
Two further traps. First, many Dubai venues prohibit screwing, nailing or painting the hired panels — graphics must be hung, velcroed or free-standing. Second, if you are building a custom stand rather than taking the shell scheme, your contractor's quote often prices the structure and excludes the printed skins; ask explicitly whether "graphics" in their quote means design, print, or both.
Shell-scheme panel sizes: the numbers that decide your artwork
The standard panel
Most modular systems used in the UAE run on a panel roughly 950 mm wide by 2,350–2,500 mm high, set into an aluminium extrusion. A 3 m back wall is therefore three panels, not one surface. Always confirm the exact panel and usable graphic dimensions in the exhibitor manual for your specific hall, because systems differ between venues and even between halls.
Why that matters for design
The extrusion between panels creates a visible 30–40 mm channel. Any logo, face or headline that lands on a join gets cut in half. Design panel by panel: one message per panel, nothing critical within 50 mm of either vertical edge, and nothing important in the bottom 400 mm where a counter, literature stand or a visitor's back will block it.
The alternative: ignore the panels entirely
The cleaner approach for most exhibitors is to cover the shell scheme with a single seamless graphic. A 4 x 3 m velcro pop-up backdrop at AED 2,680 or a seamless curved fabric backdrop at AED 1,850 stands in front of the hired wall. One continuous image, no joins, no venue restrictions on fixing, and you own it for the next show. This is why most repeat exhibitors stop printing panel sets after their first exhibition.
Materials: what to print the graphics on
Tension fabric (polyester, dye-sublimated)
The default for back walls in 2026. It is printed through the weave so colour does not sit on the surface and crack, it packs into a bag, it does not glare under spotlights, and creases drop out when it is tensioned. It is washable, which matters if you exhibit three times a year. Specify matt fabric for anything a camera will point at.
Foam and forex board
Rigid PVC board, printed direct. Use it for cut-out shapes, product boards, directional signage, pricing panels and anything that has to stand against a wall without a frame. Foam and forex boards are AED 245, and a cut-out standee is AED 525. It dents if it is handled badly, so it is a one-or-two-show material rather than a long-term asset.
Vinyl and self-adhesive
For floors, glass and existing fixtures. Floor graphics need an anti-slip laminate — ask for it by name, because plain vinyl on a polished exhibition floor is a liability issue, not a design choice. Our window, wall and floor sticker guide covers the material grades.
Backlit film
Where you want the stand to read from the far end of the hall. An aluminium profile backlit backdrop is AED 2,950 and a backlit standee on the same profile is AED 2,350. Backlit artwork needs a different file: colours print 15–20% darker than they appear on screen because light passes through rather than reflecting off. Send the backlit version separately and ask for a lit proof if the budget allows.
Real exhibition stand graphics prices in Dubai (2026)
Live catalogue prices in AED, VAT inclusive, print included unless stated.
| Item | Size / spec | Price (AED) | Best used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social media frame | Handheld prop | 165 | Stand activations, photo moments |
| Roll-up banner | 85 x 200 cm | 190 | Aisle-edge messaging, side walls |
| Foam / forex board | Rigid printed board | 245 | Product and price panels |
| Hashtag cut-out | Free-standing | 450 | Social wall, campaign tag |
| Forex self standee | Self-supporting board | 465 | Entrance signage |
| Forex cut-out standee | Shaped standee | 525 | Mascots, product silhouettes |
| Promotion counter | Aluminium, printed | 950 | Demo and sign-up desk |
| Seamless fabric backdrop (curved) | Curved tension fabric | 1,850 | Back wall, no visible joins |
| Pop-up display counter | Collapsible, printed | 2,040 | Reusable branded counter |
| Heavy-duty backdrop + metal stand | 2.5 x 2.5 m | 2,250 | Small stands, press walls |
| Backlit standee | Aluminium profile | 2,350 | High-visibility corner |
| Velcro pop-up backdrop | 3 x 3 m | 2,370 | 3 x 3 m shell scheme |
| Heavy-duty backdrop + metal stand | 4 x 3 m | 2,550 | Outdoor and high-traffic use |
| Velcro pop-up backdrop | 4 x 3 m | 2,680 | 3 m and 4 m back walls |
| Backlit backdrop | Aluminium profile | 2,950 | Lit full-wall statement |
| Fabric pop-up (velcro type) | 3 x 4 m | 3,465 | Wide fabric back wall |
| Metal backdrop with fabric print | 400 x 230 cm | 3,700 | Rigid, repeat-use frame |
| Hardcase pop-up (curved) | 4 x 3 m | 3,800 | Travelling roadshow kit |
| Universal stand system | 3 x 2 m | 3,885 | Modular, reconfigurable |
| Universal stand system | 6 x 2.2 m | 5,350 | Wide double-space stand |
| Universal stand system | 6 x 3 m | 5,800 | Island and headline stands |
The number worth noticing: a hardcase curved pop-up at AED 3,800 costs more than a velcro pop-up at AED 2,680, and the difference is the hard transit case. If you exhibit once a year, take the cheaper system. If you exhibit three or four times, the case pays for itself in the first season by stopping damage in transit.
Build the kit by stand size
3 x 3 m shell scheme — around AED 3,500
One 3 x 3 m velcro pop-up backdrop (AED 2,370), one promotion counter (AED 950), one roll-up for the aisle edge (AED 190). That is a complete, photographable stand.
4 x 3 m corner — around AED 5,500
4 x 3 m velcro pop-up (AED 2,680), pop-up display counter (AED 2,040), a forex cut-out standee for the open corner (AED 525), plus a roll-up (AED 190). The corner standee is what pulls traffic from the second aisle.
6 x 3 m island — from AED 8,750
Universal stand system 6 x 3 m (AED 5,800) with a backlit standee (AED 2,350) and a pop-up counter. At this size the stand reads from across the hall, so put one message on the top third and nothing else. See our pop-up and fabric display stand guide for setup times and crew requirements.
The Dubai booking timeline
- 8 weeks out: download the exhibitor manual, confirm panel sizes, fascia text and whether your package includes any graphics at all.
- 5 weeks out: brief design against the actual dimensions. Not against a square mock-up.
- 3 weeks out: approve artwork and place the print order. Fabric and frame systems are made to order; this is the real deadline.
- 10 days out: take delivery at your office and open every box. Tension fabric needs to be checked on the frame, not in the bag.
- Build-up day: bring spare velcro, cable ties and a measuring tape. Something will be 40 mm off.
During peak season — the GITEX, Big 5, ADIPEC and Gulfood run — large-format production slots fill across the whole emirate. Our Big 5 and ADIPEC print checklist lists the cut-off dates by show.
How to order stand graphics
- Send the stand plan and the stand size, plus the hall and show name. The plan tells us which walls are open and which are blocked by a neighbour.
- Say whether the shell scheme stays visible. If you are covering it, we quote a seamless system. If you are panelling it, we quote per panel against the manual dimensions.
- Supply artwork at scale — 1:1 or 1:10 — in CMYK with 50 mm bleed on tension fabric, and keep live text 100 mm inside the finished edge.
- Confirm the delivery date and address. Delivery to your office before build-up beats delivery to the venue, which needs passes, a loading slot and someone standing there.
Send the plan on WhatsApp at +971 52 210 0909 or call 0522100909 and you will get a quote against your actual stand, not a generic rate card.
Frequently asked questions
Does the organiser's shell scheme include printed graphics?
Usually only the fascia name board in vinyl lettering. Full-colour wall graphics, counters and standees are an exhibitor cost in nearly every Dubai package. Check the manual: a few organisers sell a graphics upgrade, and it is often priced per panel.
What size should a 3 m back wall graphic be?
If you are covering the wall with a free-standing system, 3 x 3 m or 4 x 3 m covers a 3 m run with overlap — AED 2,370 and AED 2,680 respectively. If you are printing panels to fit inside the hired frame, work from the manual's usable panel dimension, not the external one, and keep critical content 50 mm clear of every vertical edge.
Can I reuse exhibition graphics for the next show?
Tension fabric and frame systems, yes — that is the point of them. Keep the artwork undated and show-agnostic: no "Visit us at Stand 4B21". Put the show-specific detail on the roll-up, which is the cheap component at AED 190 and the one you replace each time.
How long does production take?
Plan 7 to 10 working days for a fabric backdrop or frame system, and 3 to 4 working days for roll-ups, boards and standees, measured from approved artwork. Anything faster is possible in a gap but should not be the plan three weeks before a show.
Are the prices VAT inclusive, and is delivery included?
All prices shown are in AED and include 5% UAE VAT. Delivery across Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates is arranged with the order; Abu Dhabi and Al Ain add a day. Venue delivery during build-up needs your contractor's pass details.
What about the giveaways and literature?
Order them in the same window as the graphics, not after. Lanyards, badge holders, printed bags and the brochures that go in them have their own minimum quantities, and the ones that arrive late are the ones you hand out at the next show instead. The Exhibition & Events range carries the on-stand items — counters, tent cards, props and spinning wheels — that go with the graphics.
Get your stand priced
Send the stand size and plan and we will come back with a kit, a price and a production date. Browse the full Backdrops & Exhibition range for frames, fabric and backlit systems, and the Exhibition & Events collection for everything that sits on the stand.
WhatsApp +971 52 210 0909 · Call 0522100909 — Dubai-based, delivery across the UAE.
