Over 10 million tourists visited Dubai in first nine months – 2022

The first nine months saw more than 10 million tourists visiting Dubai

Dubai tourism data shows over 10 million international travelers visiting Dubai in the first nine months. During a similar period in 2021, Dubai received only 3.85 million visitors. Market research data published by the Department of Economy and Tourism Dubai indicates a 162.8% increase in tourist inflow from the last year. 

Read: Dubai is the most searched travel destination globally

The top five international tourists in Dubai by country 

India was the biggest source market with 1.24 million international visitors to Dubai. It was followed by Oman (1.05 million), Saudi Arabia (907,000), and the United Kingdom (720,000). There was a surge in Russian tourists as well placed at fifth position with 454,000 visitors. The US (391,000), Pakistan (279,000), France (269,000), Germany (268,000), and Iran (247,000) held 6th to 10th position, respectively. 

Dubai: Tourists inflow from Western European countries is gradually rising

Inward tourism from Western Europe to Dubai accounted for 22% in the first half of 2022. Likewise, Middle Eastern and Gulf countries contributed significantly with 34%, while South Asian countries’ share was 16%. Russian, Commonwealth, and Eastern European countries accounted for 11% collectively. Being one of the top marketing research companies in Dubai, we predict that the tourists from Russia are likely to increase twofold in the next 6-12 months as they seek to reconsider the UAE in the aftermath of the Ukrainian war. 

Read: Dubai – Top destination for foreign investors

Dubai hotel occupancy rate – 2022

Dubai’s average hotel occupancy was up by 75% in the first half of 2022. This echoes a similar percentage to pre-pandemic times (in 2019). However, the occupancy rate was achieved despite a 19% increase in room capacity when compared to a similar period in 2019. Dubai’s hotel inventory by the end of the first half of 2022 comprised 140,778 rooms open at 773 hotels, compared to 118,345 rooms available in June 2019 across 714 hotels.

Meanwhile, the total number of hotels in the first half of 2022 saw an 8% growth when compared to the first half of 2021. This highlights strong investor confidence in Dubai’s tourism sector. The hotel sector outperformed pre-pandemic levels across all other key measurements – Occupied Room Nights, Average Daily Rate, and Revenue per Available Room. Dubai hotels delivered a combined 18.47 million occupied room nights during the first six months of the year, a 30.4% annual growth and 18% increase over the pre-pandemic period of the first half of 2019.

The potential market size for tourists in Dubai is significantly higher than the pre-Covid with a total of 142,782 available rooms, 19% more than the 119,779 on offer in 2019. Average daily rates for hotels in the emirate are AED 495 so far this year, an increase from the AED 393 in 2019, according to official Dubai Tourism data.

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