According to data released by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the city welcomed 9.88 million international overnight visitors from January to June 2025, a 6% increase over the same period in 2024. This was made possible by Dubai’s developing destination offering, which was fueled by effective public-private partnerships and enhanced by a strong global marketing strategy.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said, “Dubai continues to set new records in international visitation, reinforcing the strategic vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai to make the city a major global business and tourism destination. This milestone reflects Dubai’s steady growth as a focal point for trade, investment, talent and opportunity and its rise as the world’s most connected city. Dubai’s ability to create compelling experiences that meet the evolving needs of visitors has strengthened its status as one of the world’s most sought-after destinations. From exceptional infrastructure to unique attractions, Dubai offers a model of excellence in the tourism and hospitality sectors grounded in innovation.”
“As we advance the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, tourism will remain key to driving GDP growth and cross-sector value creation in the emirate’s economy. By continually anticipating the needs of travellers and exceeding their expectations, we are strengthening Dubai’s position as the world’s best city to visit, live, and work in.
In addition to showcasing the city to both new and returning foreign tourists through partnerships, international campaigns, events, and a number of new openings, DET’s customized marketing strategy—which involved coordination with over 3,000 domestic and international partners—led to growth in strategic areas.
The GCC and MENA proximate markets accounted for a combined 26% of all visitors to Dubai between January and June 2025, with 1.51 million (15%) and 1.12 million (11%) arrivals, respectively, according to the DET data.
With 2.12 million visitors (22%), Western Europe was the largest source market for Dubai. The Americas (7%), Africa (4%), Australasia (2%), CIS and Eastern Europe (15%), South Asia (15%), North East and South East Asia (9%), and South Asia (15%) were next in line.
Dubai has maintained its position as a top travel destination for tourists from both established and growing markets thanks to its distinctive products, safety, and connectivity. Dubai’s accommodation portfolio keeps growing, providing excellence at all price points, which increases its attractiveness to audiences from around the world. The city added new hotels in all categories and locations during the first half of 2025, such as the Biltmore Hotel Villas in Al Barsha, the Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab in Umm Suqeim, the Cheval Maison in Expo City, and the Vida Dubai Mall in Downtown Dubai.
Helal Saeed Almarri, Director-General, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said, “Dubai’s strong tourism performance in the first half of 2025 reflects the enduring strength and adaptability of our economic model, even amid persistent global headwinds. Inflationary pressures, shifting traveller behaviours, and wider macroeconomic uncertainty continue to challenge destinations worldwide. Yet Dubai remains on an upward trajectory, an outcome shaped by the long-term vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the precision of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.
“Our response has been both deliberate and future-focused: enhancing visitor experiences through technology, investing in high-growth segments such as luxury, wellness, and experiential travel, and promoting deeper cultural exchange through local community engagement. We are embedding sustainability across our tourism ecosystem and focusing on the needs of next-generation travellers, from Gen Z and digital nomads to high-spending global tourists.
“This multifaceted approach not only supports our ambition to become the world’s best city to visit, live, work and invest in; it also reinforces Dubai’s position as a world-class centre of commerce, innovation, and cultural connection. As we look ahead, we will continue to scale this impact and deliver on the D33 Agenda by driving growth that is both diversified and globally relevant.”
The Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), a division of DET, launched a number of campaigns in H1 2025 to highlight Dubai’s dynamic and varied destination offerings. These campaigns included “Find Your Story,” which featured Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi; “Dubai. That’s How You Summer”; and “Dubai, Ready for a Surprise?,” which featured Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma. By introducing Dubai to new foreign audiences, these dynamic worldwide marketing initiatives remain a major source of tourism.
In order to improve the visitor experience and increase the city’s appeal to a global audience, DET inked key collaborations with Marriott International, Hyatt, and Premier Inn during the first half of the year, further advancing the D33 aims. With planned high-profile openings like the Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai; ZUHHA Island on The World Islands; and Ciel Dubai Marina, Vignette Collection, which is expected to be the highest all-hotel tower in the world, Dubai’s lodging portfolio will also continue to expand.
Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), part of DET, said, “Guided by visionary leadership and the strategic goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, Dubai’s tourism performance reflects the strength of public-private partnerships and the power of community, which have been instrumental in showcasing Dubai’s destination offering to the world. Our residents, businesses and visitors have played a supporting role in our tourism success, with their authentic voices and genuine advocacy promoting the city and its unique experiences. Dubai has become even more accessible, with a robust infrastructure and a business-friendly environment that fosters collaboration, while a year-round calendar of leisure, trade and MICE events have further diversified the city’s visitor base and generated significant economic impact. In collaboration with our key stakeholders, we remain committed to enhancing quality of life for visitors and residents through infrastructure development and sustained investment in capacity to attract new international audiences.”
During the first half of 2025, Dubai won a lot of international awards. One of the year’s biggest turning points was Dubai’s recognition as the first Certified Autism Destination™ in the Eastern Hemisphere in April, which furthered the city’s dedication to accessible tourism. Dubai continues to rank highly among the “best of the best” travel destinations worldwide, according to the 2025 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards. Additionally, a study conducted by travel insurance company InsureMyTrip found that Dubai is the best city in the world for female solo travelers, scoring the highest on the 62-city survey for “feeling safe” and “feeling safe walking alone at night.”
Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau and part of DET, reinforced Dubai’s position as a strategic destination for impactful business events. Dubai again ranked No.1 in the Middle East for the total number of association meetings hosted in 2024, according to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). DBE secured 249 successful bids in the first half of 2025 to host international conferences, congresses and incentive programmes, with these events set to attract over 127,000 delegates to Dubai in the coming years.
Hospitality and gastronomy.
According to DET data, the hotel industry in the emirate produced outstanding outcomes in every hospitality metric. The average hotel occupancy in Dubai during January to June 2025 was 80.6%, which was higher than the 2024 average of 78.7%.
At the conclusion of H1 2025, there were 22.24 million occupied room nights, up 4% from 21.35 million in H1 2024, with guests staying an average of 3.71 nights. While revenue per available room (RevPAR) increased by 7% from the previous year, from AED439 to AED471, the average daily rate (ADR) increased by 5% to AED584 during H1. By the end of June 2025, there were 822 establishments in Dubai, and there were 152,483 rooms available overall.
With the city’s varied culinary scene continuously acclaimed worldwide, gastronomy remains a major draw for foreign tourists and investors to Dubai. The city’s first three-starred restaurants, FZN by Björn Frantzén and Trèsind Studio, were among the 119 restaurants in the fourth edition of the Michelin Guide Dubai, which was released in May and covered 35 different cuisines. With this most recent accolade for FZN, local concept Trèsind Studio became the first Indian MICHELIN three-starred restaurant in history, and Björn Frantzén became the first chef in the world to have three Michelin stars for three separate restaurants. In addition, there were three two-star, fourteen one-star, twenty-two Bib Gourmand, and three Michelin Green Star restaurants listed in the 2025 Guide. Two restaurants in Dubai made the top 50 on the June announcement of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list. At number 27, Trèsind Studio was recognized as the best restaurant in the Middle East, and at number 37, Orfali Bros. made a comeback to the top 50.
