Dubai surpasses pre-pandemic international visitation levels in the first half of 2023, with 20% year-on-year growth

As per the latest data released by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, it shows that the city is steadily advancing towards its goal of becoming the world’s most visited destination. Dubai welcomed 8.55 million international visitors from January to June 2023, exceeding the pre-pandemic figure of 8.36 million tourists in H1 2019. Record H1 performance contributes to the goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which is to consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top three cities. It remains a first-choice destination for global travellers, with the city’s hotels outperforming all pre-pandemic metrics in occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, Occupied Room nights, and guests’ Length of Stay. Dubai’s hotels outperform pre-pandemic levels across all hospitality metrics in H1 2023. Dubai’s average hotel occupancy of 78% in the first six months of 2023 ranks among the highest in the world.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said: “The remarkable surge in international visitors witnessed by Dubai in the first half of 2023 further demonstrates its emergence as one of the brightest spots not only in the worldwide tourism sector but also the broader global economic landscape. This accomplishment has been made possible by the foresight of Dubai’s leadership, whose vision and prudent polices fortified its resilience in the wake of global challenges and enabled it to rebound more swiftly than other markets. While the growth of international visitation reinforces Dubai’s rise as a major global tourism destination, it also signifies its status as a pivotal hub for trade, investment and enterprise.

“The Dubai Economic Agenda D33, spearheaded by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has outlined an ambitious new trajectory for the city to further consolidate its status as one of the world’s top urban economies and tourism destinations. As a major pillar of Dubai’s economy, the tourism sector will continue to play a key role in realising its future aspirations.”

His Excellency Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: “The H1 industry performance is testament to the future-oriented strategy of our visionary leadership to position Dubai as the best city in the world to visit, live and work. Within a highly competitive global tourism ecosystem, Dubai has continued to accelerate momentum and stay ahead of the curve, primarily by highlighting the diversity of the city's offerings and the flexibility of our portfolio. Central to our success in showcasing Dubai as a must-visit destination is fostering multi-level partnerships between the public and private sectors.

Surpassing pre-pandemic visitation levels and further bolstering the city’s bid to become the world’s most visited destination, the latest data published by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) represents the industry’s best ever H1 performance. The 20% YoY visitation growth contributes to the goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda 2033, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to consolidate the emirate’s status as one of the world’s top three cities.

The record H1 performance reflects the successful and diverse city-wide drive to market the destination, with the unwavering support of stakeholders and partners, and under the guidance of Dubai’s visionary leadership. It also reaffirms Dubai’s position as the fastest recovering destination globally, and far exceeds the projection made by the United Nations World Trade Organisation that international tourist arrivals could reach between 80-95% of pre-pandemic levels this year.

“These collaborations with government entities, industry stakeholders and global partners form the backbone of our growth strategy, paving the way for a well-aligned and united cross-sector endeavour to create a unique positioning and drive international visitation, as well as support the wider talent attraction and economic growth agendas. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to delivering memorable experiences to all our guests, residents and the business and MICE community at large, to set new standards and push the boundaries of excellence globally.”