The UAE has spent two years building itself into a base for content creators, and the numbers released ahead of January's summit show how far it has come. On 30 September 2026, Gulf News reported that Creators HQ, Dubai's hub for creators, has 5,000 registered members from 130 countries with more than five billion combined followers. Saeed Al Eter, head of the UAE Government Media Office, said 15,000 licensed content creators from more than 90 nationalities now work in the country.
Creators HQ
Creators HQ opened on 12 January 2025 at Emirates Towers with 100 founding members from more than 20 countries. Its stated aim is to attract 10,000 creators, and it is backed by a 150 million dirham Content Creators Support Fund. Membership figures are sometimes reported as golden visa grants. They are not the same thing.
The golden visa for creators
Content creators can apply for a ten-year golden visa under the content creators and creative talent category. Applicants go through Creators HQ, which endorses and nominates them, then complete the medical, service centre and Emirates ID steps, according to Khaleej Times. We found no official count of how many creators have received one.
The 1 Billion Followers Summit
The 2026 summit, held from 9 to 11 January, drew more than 30,000 attendees, including more than 15,000 creators, with more than 500 speakers and 580 sessions. The fifth edition runs from 8 to 10 January 2027 in Dubai, and Gulf News lists OpenAI among the participating platforms.
The rules that come with it
- Every creator promoting goods or services, paid or unpaid, has needed an Advertiser Permit from the National Media Authority since 1 February 2026. About 3,000 had been issued by late October 2025; the 15,000 licensed creators figure suggests many more since.
- The permit is free for citizens and residents for three years. Visitors need a three-month permit through a licensed UAE agency.
- AI images or video of national symbols or public figures need prior approval, the authority said on 29 September 2026.
- From mid-2027, children under 15 may not have personal social media accounts, which affects family and teen creators.
What it means for agencies
- The talent pool is deep and international. Fifteen thousand licensed creators means more choice, and more need for proper vetting of audience location and quality.
- Licensing is the baseline. Ask for the permit number before any brief goes out, and keep it with the contract.
- Visiting creators need planning. A three-month permit through a licensed agency is a step to build into any campaign that flies talent in.
- January is the month for meetings. The summit brings thousands of creators and platform teams to Dubai at once.
- Rates are rising with professionalism. Creators with golden visas, managers and media kits negotiate like businesses, so budget accordingly.
The influencer rate calculator on this site gives a working range for a creator's fee from their following and engagement, a starting point before negotiation.
