Dubai surpasses pre-pandemic international visitation levels in H1 2023 with 20% YoY growth

Dubai surpasses pre-pandemic international visitation levels in H1 2023 with 20% YoY growth

DUBAI: Dubai’s resurgent tourism industry is celebrating a successful first half of 2023 (H1 2023), after welcoming a record 8.55 million international overnight visitors, compared to 8.36 million tourists in H1 2019.

Surpassing pre-pandemic visitation levels and further bolstering the city’s bid to become the world’s most visited destination, the latest data published by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) represents the industry’s best ever H1 performance.

The 20 percent year-on-year (YoY) visitation growth contributes to the goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda 2033, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to consolidate the emirate’s status as one of the world’s top three cities.

The record H1 performance reflects the successful and diverse city-wide drive to market the destination, with the unwavering support of stakeholders and partners, and under the guidance of Dubai’s visionary leadership. It also 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 percent of pre-pandemic levels this year.

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council,