DUBAI – The tourism sector is a vital pillar of Dubai’s economy and plays a key role in achieving the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, said Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council.
Reiterating Dubai’s commitment to enhancing its status as a preferred global tourist destination in partnership with major international industry players, he stated, “Dubai’s robust partnerships with leading travel and hospitality companies are key to fostering the growth of this crucial sector, both locally and globally. Hospitality is an integral part of the Emirati cultural fabric, a value deeply embedded in our ethos. Dubai remains dedicated to enhancing infrastructure and services and making the strategic investments necessary to provide an exceptional experience for visitors from around the world.”
He made these remarks while attending the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism’s bi-annual City Briefing for stakeholders and partners.
The event highlighted Dubai’s transformative role in championing the ongoing evolution of global tourism, in line with the city’s ambitious Dubai Economic Agenda D33. This agenda seeks to consolidate Dubai’s position as one of the top three global cities for business and leisure.
Participants at this event, presided over by Helal Saeed Almarri, Director-General of DET, were also briefed on the D33 Agenda, the 10-year roadmap for Dubai’s development launched at the beginning of 2023 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai.
The ‘City Briefing’ event, which delves into the latest destination developments and discusses the future outlook for the tourism industry, was attended by over 1,200 industry executives and professionals. The new DET data released during the ‘City Briefing’ demonstrates an overwhelmingly positive industry performance. With tourism sector growth in 2023 outperforming pre-pandemic results across travel and hospitality, Dubai welcomed a record 13.9 million visitors from January to October 2023, compared to 13.5 million during the corresponding period in 2019.
Key Regions Contributing to Dubai’s Tourism Success
In the first 10 months of the year, the GCC and MENA regions accounted for 29 percent of international inbound tourism to Dubai, with Western Europe contributing 19 percent, and visitors from South Asia totaling 18 percent. Eastern Europe, Russia, and the CIS contributed a combined 13 percent share of total visitation, a notable increase from the 8 percent achieved over the same period in 2019. North Asia and Southeast Asia contributed a further 8 percent, up from 4 percent in 2022.
Dubai Maintains High Hotel Occupancy of 76 percent
Average hotel occupancy from January to October this year reached an impressive 76 percent, up from 74 percent in the same period in 2019. This achievement is particularly notable considering Dubai has also recorded 13 percent and 22 percent increases in hotel establishment and room capacity, respectively, since 2019.
According to the latest STR Global Hotel Monitoring Update, Dubai ranked fourth globally in occupancy, after other global destinations like New York and London, and ranking just 0.01 percent behind third-placed Paris. At the end of October 2023, Dubai’s hotel sector had grown to 149,076 rooms in 818 hotel establishments, compared to 122,185 rooms in 724 hotel establishments at the same stage in October 2019.
Dubai’s Performance in Searches and Bookings
Dubai’s performance reveals that searches and bookings for Dubai in Q3 2023 surpassed pre-pandemic levels, further evidencing the city’s global appeal, as well as the range of choices available for visitors planning a trip to Dubai.
Dubai’s Rising Stature as a Top Global Livability Hub
At the City Briefing, DET highlighted Dubai’s position as a top global livability hub, with a string of accolades reaffirming Dubai’s status as the best city in the world to visit, live, and work in. In addition to being ranked the No. 1 global destination in TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards 2023, Dubai was named as the world’s No. 1 city to relocate to, based on a recent survey published by leading financial services provider Remitly.
Dubai was ranked the best city in the world for remote workers in the top 20 list of the 2023 Executive Nomad Index compiled by property consultancy Savills. The UAE was also named as the second safest country in the world in 2023 by Numbeo, the world’s largest database of user-contributed data about cities and countries.
Helal Saeed Almarri, Director-General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, commented, “Our achievements in the first 10 months of 2023 indicate that we are firmly on track to achieve our goals in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid to cement Dubai’s position as one of the top three global cities, as envisaged under the D33 Agenda. At this pivotal stage of our tourism journey, which has also energized the progress of global tourism, it’s important to acknowledge the synergy that has fueled this exceptional performance. This is essentially the collective resilience and the continued support of our stakeholders and partners.”
Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said, “The City Briefing underscored how Dubai has taken its leadership role in transforming global tourism to a new level. Under the guidance of our visionary leadership, and in collaboration with our stakeholders and partners, we are truly proud of the success achieved as a city. This success is further validated by the accolades and achievements, as well as our numerous strengths citywide, including ease of access, commitment to safety and security, a unique lifestyle, and exceptional service at all touchpoints, that continue to shape Dubai’s success story.
“As we gather today to strategize our path forward, we are filled with optimism that both domestic and global tourism will continue on a high-growth trajectory. We have no doubt that 2024 will see us achieving new milestones, as we continually strive to realize the goals of the D33 Agenda.”
With sustainability as a key pillar of its growth strategy, DET also shared updates on various initiatives aligned with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, the D33 Agenda, the Net Zero 2050 initiative, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
DET currently leads Dubai Sustainable Tourism, an initiative that supports the tourism sector in achieving its sustainability goals through various programs and activities. This includes the 19 Sustainability Requirements, making Dubai the first city in the world to establish mandatory sustainability requirements as part of the hotel classification system.
Additionally, the Dubai Sustainable Tourism Stamp is awarded to hotel establishments that have gained the highest ranking for compliance with the 19 ‘Sustainability Requirements’. Another mechanism highlighted at the event was the Carbon Calculator, a system designed to help stakeholders and partners identify cost-saving opportunities.