Dubai, UAE – Dubai has reinforced its position as a global tourism leader by welcoming a record 9.31 million international overnight visitors in the first half of 2024, marking a 9 percent increase from the 8.55 million visitors during the same period in 2023. The achievement is aligned with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to improve the city’s status as a premier destination for business and leisure.
In 2023, Dubai hosted 17.15 million international overnight visitors, and the city has maintained its strong tourism momentum into 2024. The growth in the first six months of this year suggests that Dubai is on track for a record-breaking performance.
“The strong tourism growth achieved by Dubai in the first half of 2024 is a 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,” 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, stated,
“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,” he added.
Key source markets for Dubai’s visitor arrivals in H1 2024 include the GCC and MENA regions, which accounted for 26 percent of the total visitors. Western Europe contributed 20 percent, while South Asia generated 17 percent of visitors. The CIS and Eastern Europe regions drove 15 percent of the arrivals.
Similarly, North-East and South-East Asia saw a significant increase, growing from 8 percent at the beginning of the year to 10 percent by the end of H1 2024, with a strong rebound from China. Other regions, including the Americas, Africa, and Australasia, also experienced an uptick in visitors to Dubai.