Dubai announces record-breaking 8.55 million international visitors in first half of 2023

Dubai announces record-breaking 8.55 million international visitors in first half of 2023

This exceeds the pre-pandemic figure of 8.36 million tourists in H1 2019

Published: Sun 6 Aug 2023, 6:53 PM

Tourists are flocking to Dubai in record-breaking numbers. In the first six months of 2023, the city welcomed 8.55 million international visitors, exceeding the pre-pandemic figure of 8.36 million tourists in H1 2019. This marks a year-on-year growth of 20 per cent.

Latest data released by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism shows that the city is steadily advancing towards the goal of becoming the world’s most visited destination. The first half of 2023 represents the industry’s best ever H1 performance.

The emirate’s hotels outperformed pre-pandemic levels across all hospitality metrics in H1 2023. Average hotel occupancy stood at 78 per cent, which is among highest in the world.

The record H1 performance reaffirms Dubai’s position as the fastest recovering destination globally, and far exceeds the projection made by the United Nations World Trade Organisation that international tourist arrivals could reach between 80-95 per cent of pre-pandemic levels this year.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, said: “The remarkable surge in international visitors witnessed by Dubai in the first half of 2023 further demonstrates its emergence as one of the brightest