Dubai welcomes record number of visitors in 2024
Dubai’s tourism industry set yet another benchmark in 2024, with the emirate welcoming a record 18.72 million international overnight visitors.
The milestone result represents a 9% increase on the previous high of 17.15 million visitors set in 2023 and cements the city’s status as one of the world’s most popular leisure destinations and business hubs.
Strong growth across key international markets
Dubai’s 2024 performance was driven by significant visitor growth from key international source markets. According to data published by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Western Europe remained the city’s top source market, accounting for 20% of total arrivals, followed by South Asia with 17% and the GCC with 15%.
In terms of fastest-growing source markets, Northeast & Southeast Asia led the way with a 24% YoY increase in visitor numbers, followed by Africa (+20% YoY), and CIS & Eastern Europe (+16% YoY). Western Europe also posted strong growth, with visitor numbers from the region rising 14% YoY. Dubai’s efforts to expand its appeal to new and emerging territories while consolidating its popularity in traditional feeder markets played a critical role in driving visitor growth, DET said.
Dubai’s hotel sector hits new heights
Dubai’s booming hotel sector was a major beneficiary of the city’s record-breaking tourism performance in 2024. The citywide average occupancy rate climbed to 78.2%, up from 77.4% in 2023, while occupied room nights increased 3% YoY, reaching 43.03 million.
According to DET, Dubai’s hotels continued to offer more competitive rates than rival tourism hotspots such as Paris, New York, London and Singapore. The citywide average daily rate (ADR) stood at AED 538, slightly higher than AED 536 in 2023, while revenue per available room (RevPAR) increased to AED 421, marking a 2% YoY increase.
Dubai’s hotel inventory also reached a record 154,016 rooms across 832 establishments in 2024. High-profile openings, including One&Only One Za’abeel, SIRO One Za’abeel, and The Lana Dorchester Collection, helped reinforce the city’s position as a premium hospitality destination. Upcoming 2025 openings, led by Ciel in Dubai Marina, which will be the world’s tallest hotel, are set to elevate Dubai’s global standing even further.
Global recognition for Dubai’s tourism offerings
Dubai enhanced its status as a global tourism and hospitality powerhouse, with the city winning a number of prestigious awards in 2024. The emirate was named the world’s No.1 destination for a third consecutive year in Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards, while its luxury hotel sector continued to shine, with The Lana Dorchester Collection and Atlantis The Royal being named among the World’s 50 Best Hotels.
Meanwhile, Dubai’s reputation as a world-class dining destination continues to grow. The 2024 MICHELIN Guide Dubai featured 19 starred restaurants, the highest number to date. Notable fine dining institution Trèsind Studio also reached a historic milestone, ranking No.13 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list – the highest placement of any Middle Eastern restaurant. In the 2025 MENA edition of these prestigious awards, 19 Dubai restaurants ranked among the top 50, with six earning spots in the top 10.
Dubai world’s top destination for tourism investment
Dubai was once again recognised as the world’s top destination for tourism and hospitality investors in 2024, with the city being named the number one global recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) into tourism, according to Financial Times Ltd’s ‘fDi Markets’.
Dubai’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector also reported impressive growth, with the city securing 437 future business events – up 20% compared to 2023.
Dubai’s tourism expansion shows no signs of slowing down. The city is making significant infrastructure investments, with one of the biggest being the $35 billion expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport. Once completed, the airport will be the world’s largest, providing capacity for 260 million passengers annually.
