This week in Dubai: Mr. Worldwide brings his I'm Back Tour to Coca-Cola Arena, over half of late-2025 home sales closed in cash, the city rolled out biometric check-in across 820 hotels, and the Madinat Jumeirah Christmas Market is in full swing.
Pitbull Live in Dubai — December 14 at Coca-Cola Arena
Pitbull is headlining the Coca-Cola Arena on Sunday, December 14, 2025 as part of his global I'm Back Tour. Doors open at 6:00 PM, with the show starting at 8:00 PM. Special guest Lil Jon joins the lineup for a night of hits including Give Me Everything, Fireball, Timber, and Don't Stop the Party. The concert is presented by Live Nation Middle East. Tickets are available via Platinum List and Live Nation.
Dubai's Cash-Only Home Boom
More than half of Dubai's late-2025 residential transactions were completed in cash — a figure that confirms the emirate's status as a global magnet for high-net-worth buyers. Cash deals accounted for 54% of all residential transactions in the second half of 2025, with prime communities such as Downtown Dubai seeing that figure climb as high as 67% in the resale segment. Analysts point to competitive pricing, priority access to off-plan units, and flexible deal terms as the key drivers pulling wealthy investors away from mortgage financing.
Dubai Launches City-Wide Biometric Hotel Check-In
Dubai has rolled out a citywide one-time biometric hotel check-in system across 820 hotels and holiday homes. Announced in December 2025 by Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the scheme lets guests upload their government-issued ID and biometric data once via mobile. On every future stay at any participating property, a quick biometric scan replaces the front-desk queue — guests go straight to their rooms. The credential stays valid until the underlying ID expires and can be extended to other tourism touchpoints such as car rentals.
Madinat Jumeirah Christmas Market — Open Through December 31
The Madinat Jumeirah Festive Market at Fort Island runs daily through December 31, 2025. The market opens Monday–Thursday from 3:00 PM and Friday–Sunday from 12:00 noon, with free entry on a first-come, first-served basis. Highlights include a 36-foot Christmas tree, live bands, a snow fight zone, a North Pole train ride, bungee jumping, and a Venetian carousel.
