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Destinations
Dubai
Soaring skyscrapers meet endless desert dunes in this fascinating emirate that stands for everything futuristic while keenly preserving the traditions of its past
Dubai Tourism / ME3110, ME3140, ME2520
As one of the world’s most visited destinations, Dubai is flexing its muscle. Beyond the record-breaking attractions, such as the world’s tallest tower and largest mall, it boasts a stunning coastline and desert terrain in addition to an exciting cultural calendar, including the region’s largest literature festival and a year-round programme at its magnificent Opera House. Dubai saw a record number of visitors in 2019, up from 14.3 million in 2018 to 15 million. While these figures saw a hit from the pandemic, recovery was fast-paced and the emirate bid farewell to a challenging 2020 by welcoming a total of 5.51 million international visitors during the year. With travel restrictions imposed due to the pandemic, the top source markets in 2020 included India with 865,000 visitors, followed by Saudi Arabia, UK, Russia and Oman. With the world now reopening to international travel amid robust vaccination drives, Dubai has its sights set on record figures as Expo 2020 Dubai opens in the last quarter of 2021. In preparation, the city’s public transport network has seen the addition of new routes along with further development across roads and other infrastructure.
Burj Khalifa
Dubai Water Canal
Beyond its record-breaking attractions, Dubai boasts a stunning coastline and desert terrain in addition to a year-round calendar of cultural festivities Museum of the Future
Abu Dhabi
Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi / ME2250, ME2115
Last year, the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) revealed that the number of international visitors to the UAE capital reached 11.35 million in 2019, marking a 10.5 percent increase over 2018 figures. The official statistics for 2019 also showed that the hotel industry in the emirate posted the highest number of guests to date, amounting to 5.1 million. Despite the challenges resulting from the coronavirus, the industry’s performance in 2020 closely trailed the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. This is thanks to the government’s effective management of the COVID-19 crisis,
New hotels continue to launch with more high-end properties opening all throughout the city and close to the expo site. Luxury remains king with the largest number of rooms found in the city’s five-star hotels, but with rising numbers of three and four-star properties, recent years have shown a massive diversification in the emirate’s tourism strategy and in turn, its visitor numbers.
The capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi blends its rich past with modern icons and its forward-thinking approach, giving visitors a diverse spectrum of experiences to enjoy in the emirate
allowing for a quick reopening of the country’s borders, and the rise in staycation numbers. On some days, the market even showed year-over-year growth. For instance, in November 2020, Abu Dhabi posted the UAE’s highest occupancy level of 64.6 percent. Over the last decade, the UAE capital has worked hard to place itself well and truly on the world map. From developing state-of-the-art cultural venues to hosting major sporting events, the emirate has become a leading destination for leisure and business travellers. Broadening its cultural offerings, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Zayed
Despite the challenges, the hotel industry’s performance in 2020 closely trailed the pre-pandemic levels of 2019
Louvre Abu Dhabi
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In the lead up to Expo 2020 Dubai, the emirate is also preparing to raise the curtain on a host of new attractions, including the Museum of the Future and Ain Dubai – the world’s largest observation wheel. Both can be equally enjoyed in winter and the scorching summer as Dubai’s tourism chiefs are making sure the weather is no obstacle to drawing the crowds all year round.
Qasr Al Hosn
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
National Museum will soon join the likes of Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Watan and Qasr Al Hosn, which are currently must-see sights in the UAE capital. Meanwhile, on Yas Island, the world’s tallest indoor climbing wall and indoor skydiving chamber, Clymb Abu Dhabi joined the trio of record-breaking theme parks in the destination – Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld. There is plenty for outdoor lovers too, with the newly opened Jubail Mangrove Park, in addition to pristine, sandy beaches and the fiery dunes of the Empty Quarter in the remote southwest.
5/12/21 12:41 AM
