Soaring tourism numbers bolster UAE’s economy

Soaring tourism numbers bolster UAE’s economy

The year began on a high note for the UAE’s tourism sector, with Dubai being named the world’s most popular destination at the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Destination Awards 2023. This was the second consecutive time the online travel platform recognised Dubai’s tremendous tourism appeal based on aggregated reviews of millions of travellers between November 2021 and October 2022. Just as Tripadvisor unveiled the ranking, the United Nations World Trade Organization (UNWTO) released data showing that the Middle East had enjoyed the strongest relative increase in international tourist numbers globally in 2022, with arrivals reaching 83 per cent of pre-pandemic numbers. Previously, a September 2022 report by UNWTO stated that the Middle East had demonstrated the fastest recovery between January to July 2022, with arrivals growing almost four times year-on-year, reaching 79 per cent of 2019 levels. And within the region, the UAE was the only country to exceed pre-pandemic tourism levels in the first seven months of 2022. This surge in tourist numbers can be attributed to several factors such as visa reforms announced last year which made travelling to the UAE much easier. The new visa rules allow visitors to stay in the country for