Dubai has welcomed 9.3 million tourists in H1 2024!
Dubai has been counting records faster than most of us can keep track of, and just when we thought the city was going to see a summer slowdown - records pick the pace right back up.
What’s new this time around? Dubai has recorded 9.31 million visitors to the city in the first half of 2024, marking a 9% rise from 2023 and an overall increase in western tourism.
And we’ve got all the information you need…
A landmark achievement for Dubai
The latest data from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, which was shared by H.H Sheikh Hamdan, Crown Prince of Dubai, highlights the city's growing performance in tourism.
This achievement follows a record-breaking year for tourism in 2023 when Dubai hosted 17.15 million international overnight visitors. Dubai already stands at 9.31 million visitors in the first half of this year, suggesting that 2024 could surpass these figures easily by the end of the year, setting new benchmarks!
He took to his socials to share that Dubai's tourism sector has continued to thrive through the different productive public-private partnerships and extensive global collaboration, not to mention COP28 fuelled immense tourism after last year, plus an irresistible property market has only added to its appeal.
Coming in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, aiming to establish Dubai as one of the world's top urban economies, this tourism chart is only the beginning.
Looking into Dubai enhancing the visitors' experiences
The most crucial part in attracting visitors to Dubai has been the government’s consistent aim and focus on improving the city’s infrastructure and services to expand and better the lifestyle.
Other recognitions and accolades
Dubai has always held its mark and stature in the world. Dubai's status as a premier destination was reinforced by several other accolades, including:
The #1 global destination in the Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards for the third consecutive year and the Middle East's leading destination by the World Travel Awards.
Dubai International Airport and Mina Rashid also received recognition as the region's leading airport and cruise port, respectively.
Taking a look at the visitor demographics
When taking a closer look at visitor demographics, the GCC and MENA region passport holders accounted for a combined 26% of arrivals, with Western Europe and South Asia contributing 20% and 17%, respectively.
The CIS and Eastern Europe regions also played a significant role, bringing in 15% of visitors.
Plus, the average occupancy rate for hotels and AirBnBs increased slightly to 78.7%, while the average daily rate (ADR) rose by 4% to AED558.
Dubai's reputation as a gastronomy capital was further solidified with the release of the third edition of the Michelin Guide Dubai, featuring 106 restaurants. The cruise sector also added to this with major growth, with more than 132 ship calls between Mina Rashid and Dubai Harbour during the 2023/2024 winter season.
Now, isn’t that spectacular news?
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