The emirate welcomed 7.28 million international overnight visitors last year, a 32 percent growth compared to 2020, as the emirate continues to set the pace for the global post-pandemic tourism recovery.

The data, published by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), found that over 3.4 million visitors came to the city in the fourth quarter of 2021, which represents 74 percent of pre-pandemic tourist arrivals in the fourth quarter of 2019.

“Under the visionary leadership and guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, our ability and agility in achieving a remarkable turnaround amid continuing global challenges has cemented the emirate’s position as the destination of choice for international travelers,” Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism said in a statement carried by WAM.

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Dubai received over 7 million visitors in 2021 as city leads pandemic tourism recovery
More than 3.4 million visitors came to Dubai in the fourth quarter of 2021

dubai burj al arab
The emirate welcomed 7.28 million international overnight visitors last year, a 32 percent growth compared to 2020, as the emirate continues to set the pace for the global post-pandemic tourism recovery.

The data, published by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), found that over 3.4 million visitors came to the city in the fourth quarter of 2021, which represents 74 percent of pre-pandemic tourist arrivals in the fourth quarter of 2019.

“Under the visionary leadership and guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, our ability and agility in achieving a remarkable turnaround amid continuing global challenges has cemented the emirate’s position as the destination of choice for international travelers,” Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism said in a statement carried by WAM.


“The outstanding performance also advances our journey towards becoming the most visited destination and the world’s best city to live and work in. In leading the global tourism recovery with the support of our stakeholders and partners, Dubai constantly set precedents, demonstrating how to safely yet effectively open up to international visitors and, critically, stay open. The emirate’s well-coordinated, consistent, proactive and creative approach enabled it to lay the groundwork for an accelerated recovery that received a major boost with the opening of Expo 2020 Dubai and the UAE Golden Jubilee celebrations,” he added.

The top sources of visitors to the emirate in 2021 were: India, with 910,000 visitors, a 5.3 percent growth year-on-year; Saudi Arabia with 491,000 visitors, a 22.8 percent growth year-on-year; Russia with 444,000 visitors, a 50.3 percent growth year-on-year; and the UK, with 420,000 visitors, a 7.1 percent growth year-on-year.

The MENA and GCC regions contributed 26 percent of all visitors, followed by Western Europe at 22 percent, South Asia at 18 percent, and Russia, CIS and Eastern Europe contributing 15 percent.

LN
Dubai received over 7 million visitors in 2021 as city leads pandemic tourism recovery
More than 3.4 million visitors came to Dubai in the fourth quarter of 2021

dubai burj al arab
The emirate welcomed 7.28 million international overnight visitors last year, a 32 percent growth compared to 2020, as the emirate continues to set the pace for the global post-pandemic tourism recovery.

The data, published by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), found that over 3.4 million visitors came to the city in the fourth quarter of 2021, which represents 74 percent of pre-pandemic tourist arrivals in the fourth quarter of 2019.

“Under the visionary leadership and guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, our ability and agility in achieving a remarkable turnaround amid continuing global challenges has cemented the emirate’s position as the destination of choice for international travelers,” Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism said in a statement carried by WAM.


“The outstanding performance also advances our journey towards becoming the most visited destination and the world’s best city to live and work in. In leading the global tourism recovery with the support of our stakeholders and partners, Dubai constantly set precedents, demonstrating how to safely yet effectively open up to international visitors and, critically, stay open. The emirate’s well-coordinated, consistent, proactive and creative approach enabled it to lay the groundwork for an accelerated recovery that received a major boost with the opening of Expo 2020 Dubai and the UAE Golden Jubilee celebrations,” he added.

The top sources of visitors to the emirate in 2021 were: India, with 910,000 visitors, a 5.3 percent growth year-on-year; Saudi Arabia with 491,000 visitors, a 22.8 percent growth year-on-year; Russia with 444,000 visitors, a 50.3 percent growth year-on-year; and the UK, with 420,000 visitors, a 7.1 percent growth year-on-year.

The MENA and GCC regions contributed 26 percent of all visitors, followed by Western Europe at 22 percent, South Asia at 18 percent, and Russia, CIS and Eastern Europe contributing 15 percent.


Dubai, Helal Saeed Al Marri
Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism.
Dubai’s calibrated strategy
“Dubai’s success in 2021 is testament to the carefully calibrated strategy and decisive measures that were put in place at the outset to counter and manage the pandemic across all sectors including trade and tourism. By meticulously following the highest standards of hygiene and safety, supported by diligence and cooperation from all stakeholders, Dubai has been able to reinforce the trust that UAE residents and global travellers place in the city as one of the safest in the world, allowing them to enjoy the diversity of the destination offering within a relaxed environment,” Al Marri said.

The emirate’s recovery in tourism will be a strong indicator for the city’s bustling hotel sector. Hotel’s in the fourth quarter of 2021 witnessed significant growth, outperforming prepandemic occupancy levels with 81.4 percent occupancy compared to 80.7 percent occupancy in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Guests are also spending longer in hotels, with the average length of stay reaching 4.6 nights in 2021, up from 4.2 nights in 2020.

Dubai also scored high across international indices in 2021, placing first in the MEASA region and 12th globally in the Julius Baer’s Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report 2021. The emirate was also ranked the third most desirable destination to live and work in the Global Talent Competitive Index, the fourth best place for expatriates to live and work in HSBC’s annual Expat Explorer Survey 2021, and the number two safest country in the world by the Gallup Global Law and Order 2021 report.

“Dubai’s successful blueprint to navigate far beyond the pandemic and emerge as a highly competitive, attractive and resilient destination is the result of the constant inspiration from our visionary leadership to position Dubai as the leading city for business, investment and tourism,” Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said, according to WAM.

“In showcasing Dubai as a must-visit destination to an international audience and maintaining momentum, we have leveraged and depended on a combination of factors including our focus on a diversified multi-geographic approach to markets, the strong public-private sector partnerships and global campaigns designed to create awareness of Dubai, highlight its unique propositions and most importantly emphasise that the city is safe, open and accessible to all,” he added.