Welcome to Dubai

Dubai Economy And Tourism

first World Expo to be held in the MENASA region, in addition to celebrating the UAE Golden Jubilee. Expo 2020, which concluded on 31 March 2022, attracted 192 participating nations and more than 24 million visits by residents and leisure and business travellers from around the world.

Dubai is a remarkable destination that offers equally remarkable experiences. Where else can you skydive over a palmshaped island in the morning, wander the alleyways of the gold, spice and textile souks at lunch time and then watch falcons soar over the desert as the sun sinks behind the dunes? Where else can you ski down an indoor piste with real snow or zipline from 170m in the air between skyscrapers at 80km/h before tucking into gourmet fare while watching a dancing fountain at the foot of the world’s tallest building?

The answer is, resoundingly, only in Dubai. With the emirate continually evolving and adding to its destination offering – from family-friendly attractions, exciting events and city-wide festivals to world-class hotels and resorts to suit all budgets – there’s always a reason to return to Dubai.

ISSAM KAZIM , CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER , DUBAI ECONOMY AND TOURISM ( DET )

WHY SHOULD TRAVELLERS VISIT DUBAI?

Dubai is a city of contrasts that captures the imagination of all who visit. On one hand, it is a futuristic metropolis of skyscrapers, man-made wonders and cutting-edge technology. On the other, it is rich in culture, with traditions passed down through generations and heritage ready to be explored. Dubai offers something for all types of traveller, no matter their interests.

With safety and security vaulted to the top of considerations for travellers as they choose their destinations, Dubai has become a city globally recognised for safeguarding the health and wellbeing of all visitors and residents. One of the first cities in the world to reopen to both domestic and international tourists, Dubai marked a landmark 2021 with the opening of the six-month long Expo 2020 Dubai on 1 October, the

WHAT MAKES DUBAI A DIFFERENT PLACE TO VISIT COMPARED TO THE DUBAI OF SAY, 25 YEARS AGO?

Dubai has embraced change throughout its history and it is this change that makes it such a unique destination. The story of the city’s growth and arrival on the world stage is filled with achievements, that many deemed impossible, yet they were brought to life thanks to the city’s visionary leadership. Dubai continued to remain top-of-mind among global travellers even with the outbreak of the global pandemic, primarily due to its focus on health. Over 20 years ago, the emirate’s 293 hotels and hotel apartment establishments were attracting fewer than two million visitors per year. Those numbers have increased to 755 hotel establishments and 137,950 rooms by the end of 2021.With Dubai continuing to lead global tourism recovery, the momentum generated across the city’s tourism ecosystem saw Dubai welcoming 7.28 million international overnight visitors in 2021, representing 32 per cent year-on-year growth. International visitation to the city surpassed 3.4 million visitors in the fourth quarter of 2021, achieving 74 per cent of the total pre-pandemic tourist arrivals of Q4 2019, and paving the way for hotels in Dubai to deliver a stellar fourth quarter performance that surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Dubai’s multi- pronged strategy to remain open, safe and accessible combined with its unparalleled diverse offering saw the city being chosen as the No.1. global destination in Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Awards 2022.In two other high-profile accolades announced this year, 16 Dubai restaurants were named in the Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants’ list while the first ever Michelin Guide Dubai launched in June 2022, highlighting 69 restaurants covering 21 cuisine types. 9 receive a MICHELIN Star, 2 receive Two MICHELIN Stars, and 14 restaurants are awarded a Bib Gourmand. A multicultural destination that is home to over 200 nationalities, Dubai combines the best of all worlds to deliver exceptional experiences and an outstanding quality of life, further enhancing its position as one of the most sought-after destinations and a global liveability hub.

The sustained growth of the tourism industry is complimented by the city’s ongoing expansion and enhancement of its destination proposition. More than 20 years ago, a visitor’s stay would have revolved around the Dubai Creek, the natural inlet of the Arabian Gulf that remains the heart and soul of Dubai and home to the emirate’s oldest districts and most important heritage sites. One of the tallest buildings in the city was the 39-storey Sheikh Rashid Tower, built in 1979, now known as the Dubai World Trade Centre, with much of what visitors now associate with Dubai yet to take shape. The emirate developed at an astonishing pace, with milestones and new attractions coming to fruition at breakneck speed.

The iconic sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, often described as the world’s most luxurious hotel, thanks to its iconic architecture and luxury service, opened its doors in 1999, the same year that Wild Wadi waterpark began welcoming families and children. Two years later, the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal was opened, placing the emirate on the world cruise map. In 2005, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai’s first mega mall, opened its doors to shoppers from across the globe. The following year, the first residents moved onto the incredible man-made palm-shaped island, Palm Jumeirah. Atlantis, The Palm started welcoming guests two years later. In the same year, the world’s largest destination for shopping, entertainment and leisure, The Dubai Mall, opened its doors. A year after that, the Dubai Metro started its operations, transforming the way residents and visitors travelled around the city. And another year later, in 2010, the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, opened for business, cementing Dubai’s place on the global tourist map.

Since then Dubai has welcomed a host of new openings, including: La Mer, Dubai’s newest beachfront address with open spaces, retail concepts, restaurants and beach activities; Al Seef, a beautiful cultural walking tour through the Al Fahidi district that connects almost 500 shopping and dining concepts; Dubai Parks & Resorts, made up of Motiongate Dubai, Bollywood Parks Dubai, Legoland Dubai and Legoland Water Park that feature more than 100 indoor and outdoor rides and attractions combined; Dubai Frame, the world’s largest picture frame where you can journey through time while visiting old Dubai, present Dubai and new Dubai; Al Marmoom, the UAE’s first unfenced desert conservation reserve that contains unique flora and fauna of the emirate; and Etihad Museum, where the story of the UAE is told with fascinating artefacts. And, during the past 12 months, several more attractions and landmarks were opened including Ain Dubai, the world’s tallest observation wheel, on Bluewaters Island, allowing visitors to soar to new heights, Deep Dive Dubai, a 60-metre pool that is the world’s deepest pool, and more, recently, in February 2022, the Museum of the Future, a stunning landmark and tipped as the world’s most beautiful building, explores how society could evolve in the coming decades using science and technology.

Additionally, events such as the annual Art Dubai, Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and Dubai Art Season as well as the opening of new state of the art venues including Dubai Opera and La Perle have helped put Dubai on the map for culture, art and design.

Having evolved so much over the past 20 years, Dubai now has a rich offering available for every type of traveller, whether they are just stopping over or looking to enjoy a longer stay.

All this makes it clear that in Dubai there’s always something new to discover – whether it has been 20 years, 20 weeks or 20 days since your last visit.

WHAT MAKES DUBAI STAND OUT?

Dubai is one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is now one of the world’s leading destinations, with its thriving tourism industry a primary contributor to the emirate’s economy.

Dubai is truly an awe-inspiring destination capable of offering visitors their most memorable travel experience. Even for a 24, 48 or 72-hour stopover, Dubai is a standout destination with a wealth of experiences available to fit into any timeframe.

A traveller’s stopover experience can begin with the warm, traditional welcome and Arabian hospitality at Dubai International Airport. While in Dubai, visitors can then experience iconic landmarks and taste a variety of international cuisine. Additionally, getting around the city is inexpensive, easy, and time efficient with Dubai’s world-class transportation system.

Dubai dealt with the challenges posed by the pandemic systematically and effectively under a citywide programme that made safeguarding people, both residents and visitors, its first priority, and implemented through a wide range of measures across all customer-facing high-frequency touchpoints of visitor and resident interaction, along with a world-class health system that provides the best quality healthcare across a range of specialisations. All necessary steps have been taken to ensure the health and safety of travellers at every stage of their journey, from the time they arrive in Dubai and until they leave the city.

In today’s world, Dubai’s commitment to not only safeguard visitors but also provide them with an eclectic and diverse destination experience makes the city stand out as the one of the world’s safest destinations and the ultimate attraction for the global traveller. We look forward to welcoming you to Dubai at any time of the year.

DESERT SANDS LEAD TO AZURE WATERS , ANCIENT TRADITIONS SIT SIDE BY SIDE AS VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE COME TO LIFE . THE DAY BEGINS WITH THE CALL TO PRAYER AND ENDS WITH SPARKLING SUN GLEAMING AGAINST THE FACE OF SOARING SKYSCRAPERS . … WELCOME TO DUBAI