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Dubai received 5.18 million international visitors during the 1st quarter of 2024, corresponding to growth of 11% compared to 4.67 million in the same period of 2023, according to data published by the Department of Economy and Tourism of Dubai. Dubai (DET) during the 31st edition of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM).

After a record year of 2023, in which Dubai registered 17.15 million international visitors, the Emirate’s tourism industry continues to grow in the first quarter of the year, in line with the objectives of Dubai’s Economic Agenda, D33, to further consolidate Dubai’s position as a leading global city for business and leisure.

Regarding this result of the first three months of 2024, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, stated that Dubai “is on track for another relevant performance this year, after that the Emirate received a record number of visitors last year, with international visitors reaching 17.15 million”.

For the Sheikh, this performance “will ensure that the tourism sector continues its journey of growth and in line with the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which aims to strengthen its position as one of the main global cities for business and leisure .”

The increase in international tourists during the first quarter is the result of the destination’s strategies on vital pillars in the tourism sector, such as sustainability, accessibility, entrepreneurship and innovation. Other key factors also contributed to the growth in the number of visitors, such as the fact that the city hosted several important industry events, such as Arab Health, Gulfood and the Dubai International Boat Show, and new hotel openings such as The Lana, the first Dorchester Collection property in the Middle East; SIRO One Za’abeel, Dubai’s first fitness hotel; Marriott Marquis Dubai; and Hilton Dubai Creek Hotel & Residences. Catering to all budgets and preferences, Dubai’s diverse offerings are constantly evolving, supported by world-class infrastructure, exceptional service across all touchpoints and ongoing collaboration between the government and private sectors.

Western Europe stands out as the largest issuing market
From January to March, the Western European region was the largest inbound market, with 1.138 million arrivals, representing a global share of 22%, followed by South Asia with 869,000 visitors (17%) and CIS and Eastern Europe with 817,000 ( 16%).

From a regional perspective, the GCC and MENA ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, representing 664,000 (13%) and 605,000 (12%) arrivals respectively. The Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia region recorded 470,000 arrivals in Dubai (a 9% share), followed by the Americas with 344,000 (7%), Africa with 202,000 (4%) and Australasia with 70,000 (1%).

Regarding the performance of Dubai hotels, from January to March this year, they maintained a room occupancy rate of 83%. Occupied room nights increased by 2% to 11.2 million at the end of Q1 2024, compared to 10.98 million in 2023. Average Daily Rate (ADR) rose to AED 638 during Q1, marking a increase of 5% compared to the same period in 2023, while Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) increased by 4% compared to last year, from AED 504 to AED 527.

It is worth remembering that the total number of rooms available in Dubai reached 152,162 at the end of March, compared to the 148,877 rooms available in March 2023. The number of establishments also increased from 814 in 2023 to 832 at the end of the first quarter this year.

Guaranteed is the continuation of “driving global and market-specific campaigns, collaborating with our main domestic and international partners, adopting a diversified marketing approach to promote Dubai to the most diverse global audiences, exciting and inspiring potential new and repeat visitors” , left by Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM).