Dubai’s tourism sector has achieved substantial growth in 2023, attracting 17.15 million international visitors, witnessing a 19% increase year-on-year. Western Europeans composed the majority of international visitors, representing 19% of the total volume. As of H1 2024, number of international visitors reached 9.31 million, with 1.89 million visitors from Western Europe.
Passenger traffic at the Dubai International Airport has witness an increase of 31.7% YoY, reaching over 87 million visitors in 2023 and surpassing pre-pandemic levels, portraying a remarkable post pandemic recovery. The month of August 2023 has witnessed the most traffic, with the United Kingdom marking the third on the top destination list with over 5.9 million passengers.
London remains a leading destination city with 3.7 million visitors. Visitors from Western Europe are projected to further increase as the expected passenger traffic is expected to grow, reaching over 88.8 million visitors by the end of 2024.
The UK, being a leading destination, could explain the volume of British real estate investments in Dubai, with British nationals holding an impressive AED 2.5 billion in investments, reflecting their investment appeal towards Dubai.
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Paris and London were ranked among the top 5 cities by total international visitors, ranked second and third respectively. According to TripAdvisor, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Fountain, Dubai Mall, Dubai Miracle Garden and Global Village were among the top touristic destinations.
With the increased number of visitors to Dubai, the demand for hotel accommodation also achieved high growth. For the year 2023, hotel occupancy reached 77%, scoring an average daily rate (ADR) of AED 692 and revenue per room available (RevPAR) of AED 536. The month of February of 2024 witnessed the highest occupancy rate of 90.8%, recording a 3.4% increase from the same period last year.
As demand for hotels grow, hotel supply is also growing, with 14 new hotels set to open in the UAE in 2024, 8 being in Dubai alone. Notable hotels set to open this year include Fairmont Dubai Skyline, Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, Five Luxe and Ciel Tower.
Some of the popular hotels amongst European visitors in Dubai are:
1. One & Only One Za’abeel
Located at the Trade Centre, this five star hotel offers opulent accommodation, fine dining, transformative wellbeing and crated fashion all under one roof.
2. Address Grand Creek Harbour
Located in Dubai Creek, this five star hotel offers splendid views of the sunset from The Viewing Point, refined dinning and luxurious spa experience at the heart of the Creek.
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3. Marriott Resort, Palm Jumeirah
Located at the iconic Palm West Beach, this five star beachfront hotel caters to both leisure for visitors and tourists and business for dynamic business travelers.
4. Riu Hotels & Resorts
Located at the promising Dubai Islands, this four star beachfront hotel caters to sentimental, leisure activities, such as kayaking, while offering a peaceful getaway to all.
