Where has tourism reached in Dubai in 2023?

In a report by the American website specializing in news related to the tourism and travel industry, “Skift”, dated Sunday, September 24, 2023, Dubai appeared as a tourist destination flocked by visitors from all over the world.

The report revealed that the tourism sector in Dubai continued its recovery during the summer of 2023, regaining its usual performance before the outbreak of the Corona pandemic, as it witnessed a state of tourism activity and momentum, with the support of entertainment and marketing events and exhibitions.

Blazing summer

The Skift website described the summer of 2023 as hot in Dubai, after specifically monitoring the numbers recorded by the sector during the summer, and related to the performance of the tourism sector in the emirate, and the flows of visitors from around the world.

The report, which relied on official statistics in its report, revealed that Dubai received 9.8 million international visitors from the beginning of the year until the end of last July, compared to 9.6 million international visitors during the same period in 2019.

The average price per night in a room in Dubai, of which there are more than 800 hotels, during the period from the beginning of 2023 until last July, was 508 dirhams, which is a much higher average than that recorded by Dubai hotels during the same period in 2019, which amounted to 422 dirhams.

Religious tourism project

A few days ago, the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities in Dubai launched the religious tourism project in the emirate, which is concerned with implementing a set of plans, programs and initiatives that serve the field of Islamic tourism, according to what was stated on the official website of the Dubai government.

The project helps strengthen the emirate’s position as an attractive point for international religious tourism for residents, visitors, and tourists, Muslims and non-Muslims. It also aims to strengthen Dubai’s tourism and leadership status, and achieve the department’s vision of transforming Dubai for the better in the world, Islamically and charitablely, in addition to making greater use of seasons of obedience such as (Ramadan Dubai, and the holidays) , and others as well as supporting the Dubai 2025 strategy to make Dubai the most visited city in the world by 2025.

15 million visitors to parks and facilities

According to what was published by the Dubai government, public and major parks, residential neighborhood parks, lakes, and recreational facilities affiliated with the emirate’s municipality recorded a record number for the first time in the number of visitors exceeding 15 million visitors during the first half of this year, an increase of more than 50% over the same period in 2022. The number of visitors reached approximately 10 million visitors.

The lakes and residential neighborhood parks were visited by 10 million people, according to official statistics, while the five major parks in the emirate were visited by nearly 3 million people. The Dubai Frame was visited by more than 884 thousand visitors, and the Qur’anic Garden was visited by more than 710 thousand visitors, in addition to approximately 427 thousand visitors. Visitors to Dubai Safari Park, and more than 73.5 thousand visitors to Children’s City.

Dubai International Airport exceeds pre-pandemic levels

Travel traffic at Dubai International Airport (DXB) rebounded significantly during the first half of this year, with passenger traffic during this period exceeding pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

According to official data, the world's busiest international airport received 41.6 million passengers in the first half, representing more than 100% of the number of passengers recorded during the first six months of 2019.

Dubai International Airport (DXB) recorded an outstanding performance during the second quarter of the year, as passenger traffic increased by 42.7% over the same period of the previous year to reach 20.3 million passengers.

Exceptional performance

Last August, the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said: “The exceptional performance of the tourism sector in Dubai during the first half of the year, and the significant growth achieved by this vital sector, consolidates Dubai’s position as the best city to work, live and visit in the world.”

In the period from January to last June, Dubai hotels achieved growth in all hospitality indicators that exceeded pre-pandemic levels, bringing the average occupancy of hotel rooms to 78%, recording the highest rates globally, and a growth of 2.2% compared to 2019 levels, so that it won for the second time the title of best global destination in Trip Advisor 2023 Travelers' Choice Awards.