Dubai reports growth in tourist traffic

Between January and October 2024, 14.96 million international travellers visited Dubai, up 8% from the same period last year, the local Department of Economy and Tourism said.

During the winter season, Dubai hosts trade festivals, sporting events and continues to be a centre for entertainment and tourism. The city has 152 thousand hotel rooms at its guests’ disposal.

In addition, the emirate was actively visited by international celebrities: Jay Balvin shot two videos and Mr Beast collaborated with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism on YouTube. This year’s Dubai Fitness Challenge festival attracted a record 2.7 million participants.

In the coming weeks, residents and tourists can enjoy concerts by Shereen Abdel Wahab and Lionel Richie, as well as major international sporting events such as the Dubai Marathon and Hero Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament, stage shows The Nutcracker and CoComelon LIVE: Sing-A-Long.

In the first half of 2024, more than 2,700 new hotel rooms will come on stream in Dubai, with a further 10,100 rooms to be added by the end of 2025. In 2026 and 2027, the room stock will be replenished by 4,748 units.

Luxury hotels such as The Lana Dubai Dorchester Collection, SIRO One Za’abeel, One & Only Za’abeel, One & Only Za’abeel, FIVE Lux JBR and Address Palace Dubai Creek Harbour began operations this year. Ciel Dubai Marina, Viceroy Dubai Business Bay, Port De La Mer, Marbella and Berlin on the Heart of Europe archipelago are scheduled to open before the end of the year.

Occupancy rates in Dubai hotels remained stable at 78 per cent, while resorts in Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah were 72 per cent full and Fujairah was 76 per cent full. The largest number of tourists – 9.31 million – came from Western Europe, followed by South Asia and Eastern Europe.

Source: Khaleej Times