Dubai is one of the world's leading tourism destinations, and tourism in Dubai is a major source of revenue. The city hosted 14.9 million overnight visitors in 2016. [1] In 2018, Dubai was the fourth most-visited city in the world based on the number of international visitors. [2]
The discovery of oil in 1966 kick-started the development of present Dubai, however Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum (ruler from 1958 till 1990) realised one day Dubai would run out of oil and started building an economy that would outlast it. [3] A quote commonly attributed to Sheikh Rashid reflected his concern that Dubai's oil, which was discovered in 1966 and which began production in 1969, would run out within a few generations. Sheikh Rashid stated "My grandfather rode a camel, my father rode a camel, I drive a Mercedes, my son drives a Land Rover, his son will drive a Land Rover, but his son will ride a camel". [4] Sheikh Rashid realized early he needed to diversify the emirate of Dubai's economy by building on the city's trading history and therefore he set out to establish Dubai as the region's trade and service hub. By 1979, he was successful in establishing the Jebel Ali Port, which became the logical shipping centre for the entire United Arab Emirates and the world's largest man-made port. He also upgraded Dubai International Airport and built the Dubai World Trade Centre, which was then the tallest building in the Middle East. By the end of the 1970's, the stage was set for the diversification of Dubai's economy away from oil and into other areas such as tourism. [5]
In 1989 the Dubai Commerce and Tourism Promotion Board was established, to promote Dubai as a luxury destination for the up-tier market and influential business sectors. In January 1997, it was replaced with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). [6]
In May 2013, the government of Dubai launched the Dubai Tourism Strategy 2020, with the key objective to attract 20 million visitors a year by 2020 and making Dubai a first choice destination for international leisure travellers as well as business travellers. [7] In 2018, the strategy was expanded by setting new goals of attracting 21-23 million visitors in 2022 and 23-25 million visitors by 2025. [8] The key objectives from 2013 and 2018 were not met due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The need to maintain its tourism industry has hampered Dubai’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. [9] Along with COVID-19 Dubai’s tourism sector has also been hurt by a greater international awareness of the status of human rights in the emirate and in particular the treatment of Princess Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum. [10]
In November 2022, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid announced a national tourism strategy until 2031. The goal of the strategy is to attract Dh 100 billion in additional tourism investments (so that the tourism sector’s contribution will be Dh450bn of DUbai's GDP in 2031) and receive 40 million hotel guests in 2031. The strategy includes 25 initiatives and policies to support the development of the tourism sector in the country. [11]
Since 1982, Dubai continued to be one of the fastest growing destinations for tourists. In 2002, visitors were mainly from other Gulf Cooperation Council members which accounted for 34% of tourists, South Asia accounted for 25%, other Arab states 16%, Europe 15%, and Africa 9%. In 2003, revenue from tourism exceeded $1 billion and surpassed oil revenues to directly and indirectly account for over 17% and 28% of GDP respectively. [12]
From January to June 2019 8.36 million international tourists visited Dubai. Most of the visitors were from India (997.000) followed by Saudi Arabia (755.000) and the United Kingdom (586,000). [13]
Mastercard's Global Destination Cities Index 2019 found that tourists spend more in Dubai than in any other country. In 2018, the country topped the list for the fourth year in a row with a total spend of $30.82 billion, a 3.8% increase over 2017 ($29.70 billion). The average spend per day was $553. [14]
In 2019, Dubai attracted a total of 16.73 million tourists, which was an increase of 5.09% on the previous year. However, in 2020, the number of visitors dropped to 5.51 million due to the coronavirus pandemic. [15]
| Year | Total international visitors [16] [17] [18] [12] [19] [20] | Increase/decrease | Visitor spending ($) [21] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 374,400 | — | |
| 1990 | 632,903 |  69.04% | |
| 1991 | 716,642 | 13.23% | |
| 1992 | 944,350 | 31.77% | |
| 1993 | 1,088,000 | 15.21% | |
| 1994 | 1,239,000 | 13.88% | |
| 1995 | 1,601,000 | 29.22% | 632,000,000.00 |
| 1996 | 1,768,000 | 10.43% | 743,000,000.00 |
| 1997 | 1,792,000 | 1.36% | 814,000,000.00 |
| 1998 | 2,184,000 | 21.88% | 859,000,000.00 |
| 1999 | 2,481,000 | 13.60% | 893,000,000.00 |
| 2000 | 3,027,000 | 22.01% | 1,063,000,000.00 |
| 2001 | 3,626,625 | 19.81% | 1,200,000,000.00 |
| 2002 | 4,756,280 | 31.15% | 1,332,000,000.00 |
| 2003 | 4,980,228 | 4.71% | 1,438,000,000.00 |
| 2004 | 5,420,000 | 8.83% | 1,593,000,000.00 |
| 2005 | 6,160,003 | 13.65% | 3,218,000,000.00 |
| 2006 | 6,441,670 | 4.57% | 4,972,000,000.00 |
| 2007 | 6,951,798 [22] [23] | 7.12% | 6,072,000,000.00 |
| 2008 | 6,996,449 [22] | 0.64% | 7,162,000,000.00 |
| 2009 | 7,580,000 [24] | 8.34% | 7,352,000,000.00 |
| 2010 | 8,410,000 | 10.95% | 8,577,000,000.00 |
| 2011 | 9,910,000 | 17.84% | 9,204,000,000.00 |
| 2012 | 10,950,000 | 10.49% | 10,924,000,000.00 |
| 2013 | 12,900,000 | 17.81% | 12,389,000,000.00 |
| 2014 | 13,200,000 | 2.33% | 15,221,000,000.00 |
| 2015 | 14,200,000 | 7.58% | 17,481,000,000.00 |
| 2016 | 14,870,000 | 4.72% | 19,496,000,000.00 |
| 2017 | 15,790,000 | 6.19% | 21,048,000,000.00 |
| 2018 | 15,920,000 | 0.82% | 21,390,000,000.00 |
| 2019 | 16,730,000 | 5.09% | |
| 2020 | 5,510,000 [lower-alpha 1] |  -67.07% | |
| 2021 | 7,280,000 [lower-alpha 2] | 32.12% | |
| 2022 | 14,360,000 [25] | 97.25% |
In the last three years, Dubai saw an increase in 4 and 5 star hotels and number of rooms, but a decrease in standard hotel apartments. The total number of rooms increased by 9,098 from 2015 to 2017, an increase of 9.25%. Prior to the Expo 2020 hotels in Dubai were reducing room rates to stimulate demand as supply accelerated. Based on data of August 2019, Dubai hoteliers reported a 7.6% rise in supply against 7.4% increase in demand. [26] Average room rates stood at AED 486 in June 2019 while in the same month of 2018 average room rates were at 544 AED. [27] In July 2019, Dubai's Jumeirah Group LLC fired 500 people due to a decline in tourism. In the second quarter of 2019, hospitality sector has had the worst quarter since 2009. [28]
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total 5 star hotels | 91 | 96 | 103 | 113 | 128 | 134 | 143 | 151 | |
| Total 5 star hotel rooms | 31,551 | 33,122 | 35,853 | 38,543 | 43,133 | 44,067 | 47,035 | 49,585 | |
| Total 4 star hotels | 106 | 112 | 122 | 146 | 158 | 161 | 181 | 189 | |
| Total 4 star hotel rooms | 21,208 | 22,990 | 25,289 | 29,908 | 33,120 | 34,905 | 40,377 | 42,505 | |
| Total 1-3 star hotels | 264 | 267 | 260 | 260 | 258 | 225 | 243 | 270 | |
| Total 1-3 star hotel rooms | 19,714 | 21,767 | 21,591 | 22,634 | 24,491 | 21,732 | 25,384 | 28,512 | |
| Total hotel apartments (deluxe/superior) | 66 | 66 | 65 | 68 | 68 | 74 | 80 | 82 | |
| Total deluxe/superior rooms | 9,641 | 9,519 | 9,786 | 10,522 | 10,520 | 11,845 | 12,606 | 13,113 | |
| Total hotel apartments (standard) | 150 | 140 | 131 | 129 | 129 | 117 | 108 | 112 | |
| Total standard rooms | 16,219 | 15,447 | 14,930 | 14,360 | 14,856 | 14,398 | 12,548 | 12,781 | |
| Total establishments | 657 | 677 | 681 | 681 | 716 | 741 | 711 | 755 | 804 |
| Total available rooms | 92,333 | 98,333 | 102,845 | 107,431 | 115,967 | 126,120 | 126,947 | 137,950 | 146,496 |
| Average occupancy | 79% | 77% | 78% | 78% | 76% | 75% | 54% | 67% | 73% |
| Rank | Country | 6/2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  India | 1,223,000 | 1,842,000 |
| 5 |  Russia | 616,000 | 758,000 |
| 4 |  United Kingdom | 555,000 | 1,043,000 |
| 3 |  Saudi Arabia | 538,000 | 1,216,000 |
| 2 |  Oman | 511,000 | 1,311,000 |
| 6 |  United States | 362,000 | 590,000 |
| 7 |  Germany | 329,000 | 422,000 |
| 17 |  China | 260,000 | 177,000 |
| 10 |  Iran | 196,000 | 328,000 |
| 13 |  Israel | 196,000 | 239,000 |
| 8 |  France | 180,000 | 364,000 |
| 11 |  Egypt | 168,000 | 288,000 |
| 12 |  Kuwait | 152,000 | 260,000 |
| 9 |  Pakistan | 152,000 | 356,000 |
| 14 |  Kazakhstan | 145,000 | 234,000 |
| 15 |  Italy | 130,000 | 212,000 |
| 19 |  Philippines | 125,000 | 158,000 |
| 16 |  Australia | 121,000 | 184,000 |
| 18 |  Canada | 110,000 | 158,000 |
 | This section needs additional citations for verification .(September 2021) |
Aspects of Dubai's old culture, while occasionally overshadowed by the boom in economic development, can be found by visiting places around the creek, which splits Dubai into two halves, Bur Dubai and Deira. The buildings lining the Bur Dubai side of the Creek provide the main flavor of the old city. Heritage Village is one of the few remaining parts of historical Dubai, containing preserved buildings. The adjoining Diving Village offers exhibits on pearl diving and fishing. The Diving Village forms part of an ambitious plan to turn the entire "Shindagha" area into a cultural city, recreating life in Dubai as it was in days gone by.
Other attractions include the Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House; the Dubai Museum in the restored Al Fahidi Fort, which was erected around 1799; and the Heritage Village of Hatta, situated 115 kilometers southeast of Dubai City in the heart of the rocky Hatta Mountains. The history of the village can be traced back 2000 – 3000 years. It consists of 30 buildings, each differing in size, interior layout and building materials used. Great care was taken to use the same materials as those used when originally built during the renovation such as mud, hay, sandalwood and palm fronds. The Sharia Mosque is an old mosque built in the early 19th century using the same building materials and consists of a large prayer hall, a court and courtyard, minaret and other utility rooms. [29] Other museums include the Al Ahmadiya School.
Dubai has been nicknamed the "shopping capital of the Middle East." [30] [31] The city draws large numbers of shopping tourists from countries within the region and from as far as Eastern Europe, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. Dubai is known for its souk districts. Souk is the Arabic word for market or place where any kind of goods are brought or exchanged. Traditionally, dhows from the Far East, China, Sri Lanka, and India would discharge their cargo and the goods would be bargained over in the souks adjacent to the docks. [32]
Modern shopping malls and boutiques are also found in the city. Dubai Duty Free at Dubai International Airport offers merchandise catering to the multinational passengers using Dubai International Airport. Outside of Duty Free areas and major sales, Dubai has a reputation for being one of the most expensive shopping destinations in the world. [33]
While boutiques, some electronics shops, department stores and supermarkets may operate on a fixed-price basis, most other outlets consider friendly negotiation as a way of life.
Dubai's numerous shopping centres cater for every consumer's need. Cars, clothing, jewellery, electronics, furnishing, sporting equipment and any other goods will all be likely to be under the same roof. [34]
The Dubai Shopping Festival is a month-long festival held during the month of January each year. During the festival the entire emirate becomes one massive shopping mall. Additionally, the festival brings together music shows, art exhibitions, and folk dances. [35]
The Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) is the summer version of Dubai Shopping Festival held during June, July and August. Dubai Government launched Dubai Summer Surprises in 1998 in order to promote Dubai as a family holiday destination. DSS offers fun, entertainment, food deals and great offers on shopping.
Tourists are required to obey some Muslim religious restrictions in public even if they are not Muslim themselves, such as refraining from eating or drinking in public places in the daytime during Ramadan. [36]
Dubai has a modest dress code as part of its criminal law. [37] Sleeveless tops and short dresses are not encouraged at Dubai Mall. [38] [39] Clothes are advised to be in appropriate lengths. [37]
Homosexuality is criminalized in Dubai, including for tourists. However, there is a vibrant underground gay scene in Dubai and authorities do not actively search for homosexuals to enforce the law. [40]
Most capitals and other major cities have direct flights to Dubai. More than 120 airlines operate to and from Dubai International Airport to more than 260 destinations. Dubai International Airport is the world's busiest airport by international passenger traffic. [41] Dubai is also the home base of Emirates Airline, which operates scheduled services to more than 100 destinations.
In June 2009 Emirates airline designated a special handling area at departures and arrivals for passengers with special needs, allowing wheelchair passengers to receive a more personalized service. [42] [ better source needed ]
The establishment of the first cruise terminal in Dubai in 2001 and the opening of the enhanced New Dubai Cruise Terminal in February 2010 with higher handling capacity has drawn the attention of cruise line operators. Cruises to Dubai sail from: Singapore, Sydney, Athens, Dover, Venice, Cape Town, Civitavecchia, Piraeus, Alexandria, Istanbul, New York City, Southampton, Barcelona, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Monte Carlo, Mombasa, Victoria, and Cairns among others. [43] [ better source needed ]
The United Arab Emirates has a network of roads that connect major towns and villages, including a multi-lane highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with access to and from the bordering countries of Saudi Arabia and Oman. Highways and main roads in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates are designated by an Emirate Route Number. Speed limits are displayed on road signs and are usually 60–80 km/h (37–50 mph) around town and 100–120 km/h (62–75 mph) elsewhere. [44] [ better source needed ]
Dubai ranked third in the best taxi services behind Tokyo and Singapore. [45] [ better source needed ]
Travelers entering Dubai are warned for harsh penalities regarding illicit drug use or smuggling. Authorities in Dubai use highly sensitive equipment to conduct thorough searches to find trace amount of illegal substances. [46] A senior Dubai judge was quoted on February 11, 2008, by the Dubai City News saying, "These laws help discourage anyone from carrying or using drugs. Even if the quantity of illegal drugs found on someone is 0.05 grams, they will be found guilty. The penalty is a minimum of four years. The message is clear — drugs will not be tolerated." [46]
No special immunizations are required, but tourists are encouraged to purchase appropriate medical insurance before travelling. Government immunization programs have led to recognition by a travel magazine. [42] As a latest addition to the established modern health care system, Dubai offers online health care contacts of virtually all medical doctors in Dubai. [47]
| |
Dubai hosts the following international championships:
Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the country's seven emirates.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is an Emirati politician and royal who is the current ruler of Dubai, and serves as the vice president, prime minister, and minister of defense of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Mohammed succeeded his brother Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum as UAE vice president and ruler of Dubai following the latter's death in 2006.
Dubai Shopping Festival is an annual month long event put together by the Dubai Festivals & Retail Establishment (DFRE), which is a part of Dubai's department of tourism. During the festival, shops offer discounts on their merchandise, daily car raffles and prize drawings are held to win items such as gold and cars, and there is a fireworks display. There are also a range of family activities and live shows that take place throughout Dubai.
The Emirates Towers is a building complex in Dubai that contains the Emirates Office Tower and Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, which are connected by a 9,000 m2 (96,875 sq ft) two-story retail complex known as "The Boulevard". The building is owned by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The two towers, which rise to 354.6 m (1,163 ft) tall to the tip and 241.4 m (792 ft) high of occupied space, respectively, stand as the 51st tallest buildings in the world and 11th tallest in Dubai. The Emirates Towers complex is located on the Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and is a symbol of the city of Dubai. The Emirates Office Tower was constructed by the construction wing of Al Ghurair Investment group and the Emirates Hotel Tower was built by Ssangyong and BESIX subsidiary Six Construct. The hotel has 400 rooms. A curiosity of the design is that the towers have a similar number of floors; the taller office tower actually contains 56 floors above ground, while the hotel tower contains 54 floors. This is because the individual floor heights of the office tower are greater than that of the hotel. The building also contains 17 elevators inside.
Jumeirah is a coastal residential area of Dubai, United Arab Emirates mainly comprising low rise private dwellings and hotel developments. It has both expensive and large detached properties as well as more modest town houses built in a variety of architectural styles. The area is popular with expatriates working in the emirate and is familiar to many tourists visiting Dubai.
Dubai Marina, aka Marsa Dubai, is a district in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is an artificial canal city built along a 3-kilometre (2 mi) stretch of the Persian Gulf shoreline. As of 2018, it has a population of 55,052. When the entire development is complete, it will accommodate more than 120,000 people in residential towers and villas. It is located on Interchange 5 between Jebel Ali Port and the area which hosts Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, and the American University in Dubai. The first phase of this project has been completed. Dubai Marina was inspired by the Concord Pacific Place development along False Creek in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Dubai Holding is Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum's global investment holding company and personal investment portfolio, which owns 99.67% of the capital.
Jumeirah Beach Hotel is a luxury hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The hotel, which opened in 1997, is operated by the Dubai-based hotelier Jumeirah. The hotel contains 598 rooms and suites, 19 beachfront villas, and 20 restaurants and bars. This wave-shaped hotel complements the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, which is adjacent to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel.
Jumeirah Mosque is a mosque in Dubai, Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Construction began in 1975 and the mosque opened in 1979; the mosque is built in a combination of historical Islamic architectural styles, including Fatimid and Mamluk. It was a gift from the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the former Ruler of Dubai to his son and heir, the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The government of Dubai took a decision to diversify from a trade-based, oil-reliant economy to one that is service and tourism-oriented. This has made real estate and other developments more valuable, thus resulting in a property boom from 2004 to 2006. Construction on a large scale has turned Dubai into one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. There are a number of large-scale projects which are currently under construction or are to be constructed in the future. Due to the heavy construction which is taking place in Dubai, 30,000 construction cranes, which are 25% of cranes worldwide, are operating in Dubai. Due to the burst of construction, Dubai has acquired various building-related records, which include: the world's tallest tower, the world's largest shopping mall, the world's largest fountain and the world's tallest hotel. Also under construction is Dubailand, which will be almost twice the size of the Walt Disney World Resort.
Ajman International Airport is an upcoming airport which is currently a construction project in Ajman, the smallest emirate of the United Arab Emirates. Ajman is surrounded on its landlocked north, south and eastern borders by Sharjah. The airport is being constructed in the eastern district of Ajman, in the Al Manama enclave. The project is worth $571 million and the airport is forecasted to accommodate for 1 million passengers and a minimum of 400,000 tonnes of cargo a year when completed. It has an expected completion date of late 2020. This is set to enable more accessible travel to Ajman and encourages development on the surrounding area with plans to expand and open hotels, restaurants, commercial offices, residential units, retail, educational centres and exhibition halls. According to a feasibility study by ICTS Europe and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) new construction project is set to achieve more than 1 million passengers within the first three years of opening and operating.
Downtown Dubai or The DubaiDowntown is a large-scale, mixed-use complex in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was developed by Emaar Real estate development company. Before 2000 this place called as Umm Al Tarif, later it's developed as the advance fecilitized city center of Dubai. It is home to some of the city's most notable landmarks, including Burj Khalifa, The Dubai Mall, and The Dubai Fountain. It covers an area of 2 square kilometres (0.77 sq mi), at an estimated cost of US$20 billion upon completion and, as of 2017, has a population of 13,201.
There are many tourist attractions in Dubai, resulting from the large scale construction boom. Dubai received 14 million tourists from all around the world in 2015. Euromonitor ranked the world's 150 most visited cities by international tourists in 2009; Dubai ranked 7th. Dubai welcomed 14.36M visitors in 2022. Dubai's economy relies on many sections of the "state", one of the most important being tourism, in 2014 total 70,475,636 passengers traveled through Dubai Airport. To maintain this important position in the tourism industry they are known to create big and impressive tourist attractions.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Dubai.
Meraas is a holding company privately held and headquartered in Dubai with operations and assets in the United Arab Emirates. In 2020, Meraas become a subsidiary of Dubai Holding, following a directive from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai.
Tourism in the United Arab Emirates is an important part of the Emirati economy, and consists of domestic and international components. In 2018, tourist industry composed over 2 dirham to country's GDP.
Visit Dubai Official Instagram
Dubai travel guide from Wikivoyage
| |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
