Tourism recovery sees Dubai welcome 6.17 million visitors from January to May

Dubai’s tourism rebound continues to inspire global tourism recovery with the city welcoming 6.17 million international overnight visitors from January to May. This is a 197 per cent year-on-year (YoY) increase from the same five-month period in 2021, which saw the city attracting over two million international travellers.

The latest tourism data was revealed by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) at its first ‘City Briefing’ for 2022, a bi-annual event that provides an in-depth industry outlook to stakeholders and partners.

Attended by more than 1,200 key executives, the event also discussed future strategies to further reinforce the city’s position as a global hub for business, investment, talent and tourism.

Helal Saeed Almarri, director general, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) said, “The remarkable vision and leadership of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, have always been an inspiration to us all and this is reflected in the city’s continued success, as we focus on enhancing its position as a global hub for economy and tourism.”

“We are building on the massive momentum generated by a successful Expo 2020, to drive growth across all our tourism pillars from cultural to culinary experiences, while working towards achieving the ambitious goal of making Dubai the most visited destination and the city of the future that will be the best place in the world to live and work, ” he added.

#Dubai’s successful tourism recovery sees city welcoming 6.17 million international visitors from January to May 2022, a 200% year-on-year (YoY) increase from the same five-month period in 2021.https://t.co/2cI13Yncdg pic.twitter.com/Q5xWW09AH7

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 23, 2022

“As we look ahead to the remainder of 2022 and beyond, we will harness the key elements that have ensured the industry’s steady growth year after year since we reopened to international visitors in 2020, providing an unparalleled diverse destination that offers unique value and memorable experiences for our guests. This can only happen with the support of our stakeholders, as well as restoring trust among travellers in Dubai as a safe destination,” he noted.

The new tourism figures from DET show that overall, Dubai hotels maintained an average occupancy level of 76 per cent from January to May 2022 compared to 62 per cent during the corresponding period in 2021.

According to data from hotel management analytics firm STR, Dubai ranked number one globally in hotel occupancy, ahead of other international destinations including New York (61 per cent), London (60 per cent) and Paris (57 per cent), for the January-April 2022 period.

Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), opened the day’s programme by providing an overview of the industry featuring valuable visitor and marketing insights, in addition to an update on the activities that are underway to encourage more families and global travellers to select the city for their summer vacation.

The ‘Stay More, Pay Less’ campaign is a citywide initiative supported by over 60 hotels and resorts, providing guests with a discounted offer. The offer includes a stay for seven nights and pay for only five nights or stay for five nights and pay for only three nights.

“Dubai’s positive performance is also testament to the city’s resilience and the success of our recovery strategy. As we strive to leverage a robust domestic market and the growing international visitation, we are confident that the summer season will serve as an ideal launchpad to further accelerate the industry,” added Issam Kazim.

He also briefed participants on the global campaigns and all of Dubai’s attractions. This includes the Dubai Presents, which highlights ‘must visit’ attractions across the city through trailers featuring Hollywood and Bollywood stars, to Dubai being selected as the leading global destination in Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Awards 2022. The event also highlighted the drive to position Dubai as a global gastronomy hub which recently received a strong boost with the launch of Michelin Guide Dubai.

Read: Revealed: Dubai’s first Michelin-starred restaurants