Dubai welcomed in the first six months of 2024 a total of 9.31 million international overnight visitors, a 9 percent increase compared to the 8.55 million tourist arrivals recorded in the same period of 2023, according to data published by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).
Following a landmark 2023, when the city hosted 17.15 million international overnight visitors, Dubai has continued to sustain its strong tourism momentum. The growth in the first six months of this year puts the city on track for a record performance in 2024. Guided by the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and driven by DET’s efforts in collaboration with stakeholders, the rise in international visitation aligns with the ambitious goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to further consolidate Dubai’s position as a leading global destination for business and leisure.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said: “The strong tourism growth achieved by Dubai in the first half of 2024 is testament to the city’s ability to foster productive public-private partnerships and build extensive global networks of collaboration. With every year, Dubai continues to consolidate its status as a frontrunner in the global tourism landscape and grow in popularity as an international destination. We remain committed to maintaining this successful trajectory and boosting the tourism sector’s contribution to Dubai’s GDP. By further developing our infrastructure and providing exceptional services for visitors, we aim to set new benchmarks and records in 2024.”
Read more: Sharjah Airport reports 8.3 million passengers in H1 2024, achieving 12.4 percent growth
Key source markets for Dubai’s visitor arrivals in H1 2024
Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) collaborated extensively in the first half of 2024 to drive growth in key markets. Working with over 3,000 global partners across 80 markets, as well as domestic stakeholders, DET implemented targeted campaigns that resulted in impressive visitor numbers.
Through bespoke strategies and activities showcasing Dubai’s unique offerings, dynamic appeal, and exceptional connectivity, the city has solidified its reputation as a top-tier travel destination for both traditional and emerging markets.
In the January to June 2024 period, the GCC and MENA regions accounted for a substantial 26 percent share of overall visitors, with 1.27 million (14 percent) and 1.09 million (12 percent) arrivals respectively. Western Europe contributed a significant 20 percent of visitors, totaling 1.89 million.
South Asia emerged as another major source market, generating 1.62 million visitors (17 percent), while the CIS and Eastern Europe region also drove 1.37 million (15 percent) arrivals.
Notably, North-East and South-East Asia saw their share of visitors grow from 8 percent at the start of the year to 10 percent (896,000) by the end of H1 2024, buoyed by a strong rebound from China. Other regions, including the Americas (617,000 / 7 percent), Africa (404,000 / 4 percent), and Australasia (154,000 / 2 percent), also experienced an uptick in visitation to Dubai.
Expanding hotel inventory to meet rising demand
Dubai’s accommodation offering continues to be a core strength of the city’s destination appeal for global visitors. In the first half of 2024, several high-profile hotel openings have added to Dubai’s diverse hospitality portfolio, including The Lana – the first Middle East property from Dorchester Collection, SIRO One Za’abeel (Dubai’s first fitness-focused hotel), and Hilton Dubai Creek Hotel & Residences.
Dubai’s hotel sector has maintained strong performance across key metrics in the first six months of 2024. According to the latest data from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the emirate’s average hotel occupancy reached 78.7 percent, a slight 1.0 percentage point increase compared to the same period in 2023. Occupied room nights grew by 3 percent, reaching 21.35 million by the end of H1 2024, up from 20.73 million in H1 2023. Average daily rate (ADR) rose 4 percent year-on-year to AED558, while revenue per available room (RevPAR) increased by 6 percent to AED439.
Dubai’s overall hotel inventory continued to expand, with the total available rooms reaching 150,879 by the end of June 2024, up from 148,689 rooms in June 2023. The number of hotel establishments in the city also increased from 810 to 823 during this period. This strategic growth in accommodation options aims to meet the rising demand and ensure Dubai offers visitors a wide range of choices across different categories and price points.
Diversifying tourism offerings through collaboration and innovation
Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) continues to collaborate with stakeholders and partners to create new pathways for growth beyond traditional tourism. This includes a focus on investment, entrepreneurship, and attracting global talent, ensuring the city remains a hub of creativity, innovation, and technological advancement.
Global marketing campaigns and strategic partnerships are a key priority for Dubai. Ongoing initiatives include the music-led ‘Where will Dubai take you now?’ promotion, directed by Michael Gracey of The Greatest Showman fame, which showcases the diverse experiences across the emirate. Another notable program is ‘Drop by Dubai’, which promotes the city as an ideal stopover destination.
Among the major new attractions to open in the first half of 2024 was Real Madrid World at Dubai Parks and Resorts – the first theme park in the world to operate under the branding of the renowned Spanish football club. This aligns with wider collaborative efforts between Real Madrid and Dubai, including a multi-year agreement signed between DET and the club in October 2023.
Dubai has also established partnerships with prominent figures in the music and entertainment industries, such as Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer, who has become a vocal supporter of the emirate. Additionally, the city’s culinary offerings have gained global recognition, with Dubai featured in a 50-minute episode of the Netflix food travel show Somebody Feed Phil, hosted by Phil Rosenthal.
These strategic initiatives, partnerships, and new attraction openings demonstrate Dubai’s commitment to diversifying its tourism offerings, fostering innovation, and positioning the city as a global hub of creativity and technological advancement.
Dubai’s year-round calendar of events
Dubai’s status as a global entertainment hub is bolstered by a year-round calendar of business, leisure and sporting events, which continue to attract international tourists. Organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), some of Dubai’s biggest annual events were held during the first half of the year, including Dubai Shopping Festival, Chinese New Year, Ramadan in Dubai, Eid in Dubai, the Great Online Sale, and Dubai Food Festival. The ongoing Dubai Summer Surprises is one of Dubai’s major shopping and entertainment events which makes the city as lively and vibrant in the summer season as it is during all other times of the year, further reinforcing Dubai’s position as a leading summer destination for families. Upcoming events throughout the rest of 2024 include Dubai Fashion Season Fall/Winter, Dubai Fitness Challenge, and UAE Union Day.
Business events also played a critical role – both through the major homegrown trade shows the city hosts annually, as well as the conferences and meetings brought to the city as a result of bidding activity driven by Dubai Business Events, part of DET and the city’s official convention bureau. So far this year, Dubai has hosted a number of major industry exhibitions and shows that have attracted thousands of visitors and exhibitors, including Gulfood (150,000 attendees), Arabian Travel Market (46,000 attendees), and the landmark 30th Dubai International Boat Show (more than 1,000 brands and 200 boats).
Dubai’s ecotourism strategy continues to lead
In 2024, the UAE’s ‘Year of Sustainability‘ was extended, and Dubai’s tourism and hospitality sectors continued to lead the city’s ecotourism strategy. In May, the inaugural ‘Dubai Sustainability Report’ released by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) highlighted the development plans and achievements that support global objectives such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 2030, and country-wide strategies including the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 initiative.
As part of DET’s ongoing Dubai Sustainable Tourism drive, the Dubai Sustainable Tourism Stamp was awarded to 70 hotels in January 2024, with more to be named in the coming months. The stamp recognizes hotels that adhere to DET’s ’19 Sustainability Requirements’ at the Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels.
Another major citywide sustainability initiative is Dubai Can, which aligns with efforts to transform the emirate into a leading sustainable destination and the best city in the world to visit, work, and live. Since its launch in February 2022 by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Can’s ‘Refill for Life’ campaign has seen the reduction in the usage of more than 20.4 million 500 ml single-use plastic water bottles and the dispensing of 10.5 million litres of water through 50 water fountains located throughout the city.
In the first half of 2024, a significant milestone for Dubai’s sustainability drive was the launch of the pilot reef modules for the Dubai Reef project in April. Part of the Dubai Can initiative, Dubai Reef is the world’s largest marine reef development project, with plans to deploy 20,000 modules across 600 square kilometres of Dubai’s waters by 2027.
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