While Dubai is well-known worldwide as a fantastic business destination, it is also developing a reputation as a vibrant cultural and entertainment center.
The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (DCAA) reported in January 2022 that the performance of its cultural assets in Dubai had improved significantly following a challenging year in the wake of the global Covid-19 pandemic’s effects in 2021.
Tourist Attractions in Dubai
According to DCAA statistics, the locals, residents, and visitors have once again started thronging museums, historical and heritage sites, and public libraries.
Trips to these locations totaled 521,753 during 2021, with heritage sites accounting for half of those visits, followed by libraries at 39 percent and museums at 11 percent.
Around 259,216 people visited historic places last year with Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood topping the list of heritage sites, attracting 153,807 visitors, while the Hatta Heritage Village welcomed 105,409 visitors.
The Etihad Museum attracted 24,304 visitors, while the Al Shindagha Museum attracted 18,909. In addition, the local authority conducted 9,731 guided museum and heritage site visits.
The Dubai Public Library, which has branches around the emirate, had 203,431 visitors. The most popular were Al Twar and Al Safa libraries, each of which had 45,333 and 32,645 visitors respectively. Around 12,932 participated in 645 activities held in these libraries.
According to the latest data, libraries added 1,286 new members in 2021, bringing the total number of members on the rolls to 27,916.
Dubai’s Nightlife and Music Events
Dubai’s most prominent Arab and international singers and musicians were welcomed back after harsh Coronavirus prevention measures in 2020 and 2021 at numerous art festivals, including Expo 2022.
In March 2022, a hologram concert was held for the late Egyptian artist Abdel Halim Hafez. This is in addition to numerous shows by Arab artists such as Tamer Hosny, Asala, Hussein Al Jasmi, and many more.
Big stars such as Andrea Bocelli also performed, while live music fans go to nightlife venues and clubs.
The rising prices in hotel reservations did not prevent tourists from heading to Dubai. On the contrary, during February 2022, the hotel sector witnessed a strong performance, as occupancy rates in some hotels near the Dubai World Trade Center reached 100 percent, benefiting from the strong demand from the participants in Gulfood 2022.
The hotel sector also witnessed strong bookings, supported by the increase in tourism and participants in Expo 2020 Dubai and other events such as Gulfood 2022.
Most visitors to Dubai during Expo 2020 stayed in five-star hotels, which resulted in a hotel occupancy rate above 98 percent.
Raheesh Babu, General Manager at musafir.com, believes that the main reason that made Dubai an attractive destination in the last couple of months is, in part, “due to the number of events held here”.
“Dubai is a playground for many famous events, both regional and international,” Babu told TRENDS in an interview. “Dubai hotels try to benefit from every event and its excellent service and hospitality standards keep people drawing back.”
Restaurants: Best bites ever
As the capital of culinary arts in the Middle East and the world, Dubai is home to more than 12,000 restaurants and cafes that offer a wide range of cuisines from around the globe and from the city’s more than 200 nationalities.
In 2021, Dubai was crowned as the best global destination and ranked fourth for “Food lovers” on Trip Advisor’s 2022 List. Many food festivals are organized in the city to attract different cuisine lovers.