tourism-statistic-dubai

Growth Insights and Future Trends Shaping Dubai Tourism

| Last Updated: February 22, 2025
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Key Insights

Dubai’s tourism sector has demonstrated remarkable growth, solidifying its position as a premier global destination. In the first half of 2024, the city welcomed 9.31 million international overnight visitors, marking a 9% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

This upward trend continued, with Dubai attracting 1.79 million tourists between January and November 2024, reflecting a 9% rise from the previous year. Notably, November alone saw 1.83 million visitors, underscoring the city’s enduring appeal.

The hospitality sector mirrored this growth, with the total number of hotel rooms reaching 153,390 by the end of November 2024, up from 149,685 at the end of 2023. Hotel room bookings also increased by 3%, totaling over 39.19 million during the first 11 months of 2024.

Dubai has been the Top Destination in the World for the three consecutive year, reaffirming its status as Tripadvisor reviewers’ No. 1 choice. Bali follows closely, securing the No. 2 spot, while London takes third place globally.

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Key Tourism Statistics in Dubai

Dubai’s tourism sector has grown strongly in 2024, welcoming 9.31 million international visitors in the first half of the year. This is an 8.9% increase compared to 8.55 million visitors during the same period in 2023. 

The number is also 11.4% higher than before the pandemic in 2019, showing that Dubai’s tourism continues to do well even after travel fully reopened.

Despite high prices and economic challenges around the world, Dubai remains a popular destination, with more tourists visiting every year.

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Dubai International Airport (DXB) handled 87 million passengers in 2023, a 31.5% increase, nearing its 2018 record of 89.1 million. In early 2024, DXB welcomed 44.9 million guests, an 8% rise, with a revised year-end forecast of 91 million passengers.

In April 2024, Dubai approved a 128 billion AED (USD 35 billion) expansion for Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), aiming to handle 260 million passengers annually once completed.

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With the progressing number of tourists, Dubai’s hotel occupancy remained steady year-over-year, with a slight 0.1% increase, bringing it to 78%. 

The luxury and upper-midscale segments recorded the highest growth, rising by 2.0% and 1.6%, respectively. In contrast, the upscale sector experienced a minor decline of 0.8% compared to 2023.

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Visitor Demographics and Nationalities

Dubai continues to attract millions of visitors from around the world, with India leading as the top source market, contributing 2.2 million tourists in 2023. The data reveals a strong presence from neighboring Oman (1.56 million) and Saudi Arabia (1.46 million).

Additionally, the United Kingdom, Russia, and the USA remain key contributors, underscoring Dubai’s global tourism appeal. The combined number of visitors from other countries reached 17.15 million.

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Dubai also attracts a diverse mix of travelers, with the majority comprising families and couples, making up 74% of visitor groups. Individuals account for 12%, while friends represent 10%, and colleagues make up the remaining 4%. 


The country also appeals to family-oriented travelers, offering a wide range of attractions and experiences catering to group visits.  Additionally, the average party size is 2.8 people, reflecting a trend of small group travel, whether for leisure, business, or solo exploration.

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Moreover, Dubai attracts visitors for a variety of reasons, with leisure being the primary purpose, accounting for 75% of visits, with an average stay of 6.1 days. 


Visitors staying with friends and relatives spend the longest time in the city, averaging 21.6 days, while those traveling for business stay for an average of 4.7 days. A smaller portion, 10%, visit for other purposes.

In terms of gender distribution, Dubai welcomes a nearly balanced mix of travelers, with 52% male and 48% female visitors, highlighting the city’s appeal to both men and women across various travel purposes.

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Popular Attractions in Dubai

Dubai offers a wide range of attractions, with Dubai Mall being the most visited, attracting 99% of travelers. The Dubai Fountain follows closely with 93% of visitors, highlighting its popularity as a key landmark.

Other top attractions include Burj Khalifa (77%), Heritage & Cultural Districts (64%), and Desert Safaris (48%), showcasing Dubai’s mix of modern and cultural experiences.

Popular beachfront destinations such as Jumeirah Beach (42%) and family-friendly spots like Global Village (32%) and Aqua Fun (19%) also draw significant interest.

Meanwhile, theme parks such as IMG Worlds of Adventure (7%), Motiongate (5%), and Legoland (2%) see a smaller yet notable share of visitors. These insights reflect Dubai’s diverse appeal, catering to a variety of interests from shopping and luxury to culture and adventure.

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Economic Impact of Tourism in Dubai

Tourism is a cornerstone of Dubai’s economy, significantly contributing to its GDP and employment. In 2022, the travel and tourism sector contributed approximately AED 167 billion, accounting for 9% of the UAE’s total GDP.

The sector’s growth continued into 2023, with a 26% increase, contributing a record-breaking AED 220 billion to the UAE’s GDP, representing 11.7% of the economy. This performance surpassed the previous record set in 2019 by nearly 15%, underscoring tourism’s pivotal role in the nation’s economic framework.

In terms of employment, the travel and tourism sector supported over 809,000 jobs in 2023, accounting for one in nine jobs in the country. This reflects an increase of 41,000 jobs from the previous year, indicating the sector’s significant role in job creation.

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Trends in Tourism Over Time

Dubai’s tourism journey is a remarkable transformation from a small fishing village to a global hotspot.

Over the decades, strategic investments, iconic developments, and a vision for diversification have positioned Dubai as a leading destination for luxury, culture, and innovation. 

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Following the pandemic, Dubai’s tourism sector has demonstrated a robust recovery, with significant growth in visitor numbers and economic contributions.

Dubai’s hotel industry is recovering strongly, with occupied room nights increasing by 19% in 2022 to 37.43 million, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. The average daily rate (ADR) rose to 536 AED, up 19% from 2021 and 29% higher than 2019, reflecting strong demand and pricing power.

Hotel occupancy reached 72.9% in 2022, nearing pre-pandemic levels of 75.3%. Rising RevPAR, now at 391 AED, shows improved profitability, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a top global destination.

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In the first half of 2024, the city welcomed 9.31 million overnight visitors, marking an 8.9% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

This upward trend is further evidenced by the performance of Dubai International Airport (DXB), which handled 44.9 million passengers in the first half of 2024, reflecting an 8% rise from the previous year.

Costs and Consequences

Dubai’s rapid tourism growth presents both opportunities and challenges. The environmental impact includes an increased carbon footprint from aviation and hospitality. Rising real estate and service costs are consequences of growing demand.

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Infrastructure strain places pressure on transport and public services. The city’s authorities are working on expanding metro lines and enhancing public transport to cope with increasing tourist inflow.

Dubai’s public transport network served 304.6 million riders in the first half of 2022, highlighting its popularity and efficiency. The Dubai Metro led with 109.1 million passengers, followed by 88.7 million taxi users and 78.6 million bus riders. 

Other options like shared mobility, the Dubai Tram, and marine transport also contributed to keeping the city on the move.

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Dubai’s tourism fuels rapid development, generating 119,736.6 thousand metric tons of construction waste in 2022, alongside 3,649.74 thousand metric tons of domestic waste. This highlights the growing strain on infrastructure and the need for sustainable solutions to balance growth and environmental responsibility.

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Dubai’s Waste Management Centre is a key player in the city’s sustainability drive. Spanning 400,000 m², it’s designed to accommodate 1,000 trucks and treat over 5,600 tonnes of solid waste daily. 

With a 32% energy efficiency rate at 27°C, 12,480 filters to manage emissions, and 2,760 m³/day of recycled water from Warsan STP, the facility showcases Dubai’s commitment to environmental innovation.

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Future of Tourism in Dubai

Dubai’s tourism roadmap is driven by the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, targeting AED 450 billion in GDP contribution and 25 initiatives to solidify its global position.

Complementing this, Dubai’s 2040 Urban Master Plan aims for a 134% expansion in tourism areas, a 400% beach length increase, sustainable urban development, and enhanced smart mobility to attract tourists and investors.

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Additionally, the Dubai Tourism Strategy, approved by the Executive Council in October, sets ambitious goals of attracting 21–23 million visitors by 2022 and 23–25 million visitors by 2025.

Reflecting these efforts, Dubai International (DXB) is experiencing record traffic, welcoming  4.3 million guests in 15 days this January, with daily traffic surpassing 2024 levels by 8% and exceeding pre-pandemic figures.

References 

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