Tourism in Dubai is a major part of the economy of Dubai. Dubai was the third most visited city in the world in 2023 with 17 million international visitors according to Euromonitor International.[1][2] Dubai hosts more than 800 hotels with more than 150,000 rooms.[3][4]
The discovery of oil in 1966 kick-started the development of present Dubai, however Sheikh Hamad bin Maktoum (ruler from 1958 till 1990) realised one day Dubai would run out of oil and started building an economy that would outlast it.[5] A quote commonly attributed to Sheikh Rashid reflected his concern that Dubai's oil, which was discovered in 1966 and which began production in 1969, would run out within a few generations. Sheikh Rashid stated "My grandfather rode a camel, my father rode a camel, I drive a Mercedes, my son drives a Land Rover, his son will drive a Land Rover, but his son will ride a camel".[6] Sheikh Rashid realized early he needed to diversify the emirate of Dubai's economy by building on the city's trading history and therefore he set out to establish Dubai as the region's trade and service hub. By 1979, he was successful in establishing the Jebel Ali Port, which became the logical shipping centre for the entire United Arab Emirates and the world's largest man-made port. He also upgraded Dubai International Airport and built the Dubai World Trade Centre, which was then the tallest building in the Middle East. By the end of the 1970s, the stage was set for the diversification of Dubai's economy away from oil and into other areas such as tourism.[7]
In 1989 the Dubai Commerce and Tourism Promotion Board was established, to promote Dubai as a luxury destination for the up-tier market and influential business sectors. In January 1997, it was replaced with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).[8]
In May 2013, the government of Dubai launched the Dubai Tourism Strategy 2020, with the key objective to attract 20 million visitors a year by 2020 and making Dubai a first choice destination for international leisure travellers as well as business travellers.[9] In 2018, the strategy was expanded by setting new goals of attracting 21-23 million visitors in 2022 and 23-25 million visitors by 2025.[10] The key objectives from 2013 and 2018 were not met due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The need to maintain its tourism industry has hampered Dubai's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] Along with COVID-19 Dubai's tourism sector has also been hurt by a greater international awareness of the status of human rights in the emirate and in particular the treatment of Princess Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum.[12]
In November 2022, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid announced a national tourism strategy until 2031. The goal of the strategy is to attract Dh 100 billion in additional tourism investments (so that the tourism sector's contribution will be Dh450bn of Dubai's GDP in 2031) and receive 40 million hotel guests in 2031. The strategy includes 25 initiatives and policies to support the development of the tourism sector in the country.[13]
In April 2025, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism introduced a new programme offering media training to students for promotion of tourism in the UAE. Applicants are provided with flights, luxury apartment and three months of income, along with certification from Dubai College of Tourism for posting about traveling experiences in Dubai on social media. According to Middle East Eye, this program aims to whitewash its human rights violations and war crime accusations in Sudan.[14]
Since 1982, Dubai continued to be one of the fastest growing destinations for tourists. In 2002, visitors were mainly from other Gulf Cooperation Council members which accounted for 34% of tourists, South Asia accounted for 25%, other Arab states 16%, Europe 15%, and Africa 9%. In 2003, revenue from tourism exceeded $1 billion and surpassed oil revenues to directly and indirectly account for over 17% and 28% of GDP respectively.[15]
From January to June 2019 8.36 million international tourists visited Dubai. Most of the visitors were from India (997,000) followed by Saudi Arabia (755,000) and the United Kingdom (586,000).[16]
Mastercard's Global Destination Cities Index 2019 found that tourists spend more in Dubai than in any other country. In 2018, the country topped the list for the fourth year in a row with a total spend of $30.82 billion, a 3.8% increase over 2017 ($29.70 billion). The average spend per day was $553.[17]
In 2019, Dubai attracted a total of 16.73 million tourists, which was an increase of 5.09% on the previous year. However, in 2020, the number of visitors dropped to 5.51 million due to the coronavirus pandemic.[18]
| Year | Total international visitors [19][20][21][15][22][23] |
Increase/decrease | Visitor spending ($m)[24] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 374,400 | N/a | |
| 1990 | 632,903 | ||
| 1991 | 716,642 | ||
| 1992 | 944,350 | ||
| 1993 | 1,088,000 | ||
| 1994 | 1,239,000 | ||
| 1995 | 1,601,000 | 632.0 | |
| 1996 | 1,768,000 | 743.0 | |
| 1997 | 1,792,000 | 814.0 | |
| 1998 | 2,184,000 | 859.0 | |
| 1999 | 2,481,000 | 893.0 | |
| 2000 | 3,027,000 | 1,063.0 | |
| 2001 | 3,626,625 | 1,200.0 | |
| 2002 | 4,756,280 | 1,332.0 | |
| 2003 | 4,980,228 | 1,438.0 | |
| 2004 | 5,420,000 | 1,593.0 | |
| 2005 | 6,160,003 | 3,218.0 | |
| 2006 | 6,441,670 | 4,972.0 | |
| 2007 | 6,951,798[25][26] | 6,072.0 | |
| 2008 | 6,996,449[25] | 7,162.0 | |
| 2009 | 7,580,000[27] | 7,352.0 | |
| 2010 | 8,410,000 | 8,577.0 | |
| 2011 | 9,910,000 | 9,204.0 | |
| 2012 | 10,950,000 | 10,924.0 | |
| 2013 | 12,900,000 | 12,389.0 | |
| 2014 | 13,200,000 | 15,221.0 | |
| 2015 | 14,200,000 | 25,587.1 | |
| 2016 | 14,870,000 | 28,657.4 | |
| 2017 | 15,790,000 | 29,705.5 | |
| 2018 | 15,920,000 | 34,609.5 | |
| 2019 | 16,730,000 | 38,413.3 | |
| 2020 | 5,510,000[a] | 24,615.4 | |
| 2021 | 7,280,000[b] | ||
| 2022 | 14,360,000[28] | ||
| 2023 | 17,150,000[29] | ||
| 2024 | 18,720,000[30] |
In the last three years, Dubai saw an increase in 4 and 5 star hotels and number of rooms, but a decrease in standard hotel apartments. The total number of rooms increased by 9,098 from 2015 to 2017, an increase of 9.25%. Prior to the Expo 2020 hotels in Dubai were reducing room rates to stimulate demand as supply accelerated. Based on data of August 2019, Dubai hoteliers reported a 7.6% rise in supply against 7.4% increase in demand.[31] Average room rates stood at AED 486 in June 2019 while in the same month of 2018 average room rates were at 544 AED.[32] In July 2019, Dubai's Jumeirah Group LLC fired 500 people due to a decline in tourism. In the second quarter of 2019, hospitality sector has had the worst quarter since 2009.[33]
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total 5 star hotels | 91 | 96 | 103 | 113 | 128 | 134 | 143 | 151 | 157 | |
| Total 5 star hotel rooms | 31,551 | 33,122 | 35,853 | 38,543 | 43,133 | 44,067 | 47,035 | 49,585 | 51,809 | |
| Total 4 star hotels | 106 | 112 | 122 | 146 | 158 | 161 | 181 | 189 | 194 | |
| Total 4 star hotel rooms | 21,208 | 22,990 | 25,289 | 29,908 | 33,120 | 34,905 | 40,377 | 42,505 | 43,283 | |
| Total 1-3 star hotels | 264 | 267 | 260 | 260 | 258 | 225 | 243 | 270 | 274 | |
| Total 1-3 star hotel rooms | 19,714 | 21,767 | 21,591 | 22,634 | 24,491 | 21,732 | 25,384 | 28,512 | 28,789 | |
| Total hotel apartments (deluxe/superior) | 66 | 66 | 65 | 68 | 68 | 74 | 80 | 82 | 85 | |
| Total deluxe/superior rooms | 9,641 | 9,519 | 9,786 | 10,522 | 10,520 | 11,845 | 12,606 | 13,113 | 13,842 | |
| Total hotel apartments (standard) | 150 | 140 | 131 | 129 | 129 | 117 | 108 | 112 | 111 | |
| Total standard rooms | 16,219 | 15,447 | 14,930 | 14,360 | 14,856 | 14,398 | 12,548 | 12,781 | 12,568 | |
| Total establishments | 657 | 677 | 681 | 681 | 716 | 741 | 711 | 755 | 804 | 821 |
| Total available rooms | 92,333 | 98,333 | 102,845 | 107,431 | 115,967 | 126,120 | 126,947 | 137,950 | 146,496 | 150,291 |
| Average occupancy | 79% | 77% | 78% | 78% | 76% | 75% | 54% | 67% | 73% | 77% |
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| Rank | Country | 6/2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,223,000 | 1,842,000 | |
| 5 | 616,000 | 758,000 | |
| 4 | 555,000 | 1,043,000 | |
| 3 | 538,000 | 1,216,000 | |
| 2 | 511,000 | 1,311,000 | |
| 6 | 362,000 | 590,000 | |
| 7 | 329,000 | 422,000 | |
| 17 | 260,000 | 177,000 | |
| 10 | 196,000 | 328,000 | |
| 13 | 196,000 | 239,000 | |
| 8 | 180,000 | 364,000 | |
| 11 | 168,000 | 288,000 | |
| 12 | 152,000 | 260,000 | |
| 9 | 152,000 | 356,000 | |
| 14 | 145,000 | 234,000 | |
| 15 | 130,000 | 212,000 | |
| 19 | 125,000 | 158,000 | |
| 16 | 121,000 | 184,000 | |
| 18 | 110,000 | 158,000 | |
| 19 | 110,000 | 148,000 |
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Aspects of Dubai's old culture, while occasionally overshadowed by the boom in economic development, can be found by visiting places around the creek, which splits Dubai into two halves, Bur Dubai and Deira. The buildings lining the Bur Dubai side of the Creek provide the main flavor of the old city. Heritage Village is one of the few remaining parts of historical Dubai, containing preserved buildings. The adjoining Diving Village offers exhibits on pearl diving and fishing. The Diving Village forms part of an ambitious plan to turn the entire "Shindagha" area into a cultural city, recreating life in Dubai as it was in days gone by.
Other attractions include the Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House; the Dubai Museum in the restored Al Fahidi Fort, which was erected around 1799; and the Heritage Village of Hatta, situated 115 kilometers southeast of Dubai City in the heart of the rocky Hatta Mountains. The history of the village can be traced back 2000 – 3000 years. It consists of 30 buildings, each differing in size, interior layout and building materials used. Great care was taken to use the same materials as those used when originally built during the renovation such as mud, hay, sandalwood and palm fronds. The Sharia Mosque is an old mosque built in the early 19th century using the same building materials and consists of a large prayer hall, a court and courtyard, minaret and other utility rooms.[34] Other museums include the Al Ahmadiya School.
Dubai has been nicknamed the "shopping capital of the Middle East."[35][36] The city draws large numbers of shopping tourists from countries within the region and from as far as Eastern Europe, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. Dubai is known for its souk districts. Souk is the Arabic word for market or place where any kind of goods are brought or exchanged. Traditionally, dhows from the Far East, China, Sri Lanka, and India would discharge their cargo and the goods would be bargained over in the souks adjacent to the docks.[37]
Modern shopping malls and boutiques are also found in the city. Dubai Duty Free at Dubai International Airport offers merchandise catering to the multinational passengers using Dubai International Airport. Outside of Duty Free areas and major sales, Dubai has a reputation for being one of the most expensive shopping destinations in the world.[38]
While boutiques, some electronics shops, department stores and supermarkets may operate on a fixed-price basis, most other outlets consider friendly negotiation as a way of life.
Dubai's numerous shopping centres cater for every consumer's need. Cars, clothing, jewellery, electronics, furnishing, sporting equipment and any other goods will all be likely to be under the same roof.[39]
The Dubai Shopping Festival is a month-long festival held during the month of January each year. During the festival the entire emirate becomes one massive shopping mall. Additionally, the festival brings together music shows, art exhibitions, and folk dances.[40]
The Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) is the summer version of Dubai Shopping Festival held during June, July and August. Dubai Government launched Dubai Summer Surprises in 1998 in order to promote Dubai as a family holiday destination. DSS offers fun, entertainment, food deals and great offers on shopping.
Tourists are required to obey some Muslim religious restrictions in public even if they are not Muslim themselves, such as refraining from eating or drinking in public places in the daytime during Ramadan.[41]
Dubai has a modest dress code as part of its criminal law.[42] Sleeveless tops and short dresses are not encouraged at Dubai Mall.[43][44] Clothes are advised to be in appropriate lengths.[42]
Homosexuality is criminalized in Dubai, including for tourists. However, there is a vibrant underground gay scene in Dubai and authorities do not actively search for homosexuals to enforce the law.[45]
Most capitals and other major cities have direct flights to Dubai. More than 120 airlines operate to and from Dubai International Airport to more than 260 destinations. Dubai International Airport is the world's busiest airport by international passenger traffic.[46] Dubai is also the home base of the airline Emirates, which operates scheduled services to more than 100 destinations.
In June 2009 Emirates designated a special handling area at departures and arrivals for passengers with special needs, allowing wheelchair passengers to receive a more personalized service.[47][better source needed]
The establishment of the first cruise terminal in Dubai in 2001 and the opening of the enhanced New Dubai Cruise Terminal in February 2010 with higher handling capacity has drawn the attention of cruise line operators. Cruises to Dubai sail from: Singapore, Sydney, Athens, Dover, Venice, Cape Town, Civitavecchia, Piraeus, Alexandria, Istanbul, New York City, Southampton, Barcelona, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Monte Carlo, Mombasa, Victoria, and Cairns among others.[48][better source needed]
The United Arab Emirates has a network of roads that connect major towns and villages, including a multi-lane highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with access to and from the bordering countries of Saudi Arabia and Oman. Highways and main roads in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates are designated by an Emirate Route Number. Speed limits are displayed on road signs and are usually 60–80 km/h (37–50 mph) around town and 100–120 km/h (62–75 mph) elsewhere.[49][better source needed]
Dubai ranked third in the best taxi services behind Tokyo and Singapore.[50][better source needed]
Travelers entering Dubai are warned for harsh penalties regarding illicit drug use or smuggling. Authorities in Dubai use highly sensitive equipment to conduct thorough searches to find trace amount of illegal substances.[51] A senior Dubai judge was quoted on February 11, 2008, by the Dubai City News saying, "These laws help discourage anyone from carrying or using drugs. Even if the quantity of illegal drugs found on someone is 0.05 grams, they will be found guilty. The penalty is a minimum of four years. The message is clear — drugs will not be tolerated."[51]
No special immunizations are required, but tourists are encouraged to purchase appropriate medical insurance before travelling. Government immunization programs have led to recognition by a travel magazine.[47] As a latest addition to the established modern health care system, Dubai offers online health care contacts of virtually all medical doctors in Dubai.[52]
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Dubai hosts the following international championships:
| Arabian Desert ٱلصَّحْرَاء ٱلْعَرَبِيَّة |
|
|---|---|
Desert near Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
|
|
Map of the Arabian Desert ecoregion
|
|
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Palearctic |
| Biome | deserts and xeric shrublands |
| Borders |
List
|
| Geography | |
| Area | 1,855,470[1] km2 (716,400 mi2) |
| Countries |
List
|
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | critical/endangered[2] |
| Protected | 4.368%[1] |
The Arabian Desert (Arabic: ٱلصَّحْرَاء ٱلْعَرَبِيَّة) is a vast desert wilderness in West Asia that occupies almost the entire Arabian Peninsula with an area of 2,330,000 square kilometers (900,000 sq mi).[3] It stretches from Yemen to the Persian Gulf and Oman to Jordan and Iraq. It is the fourth largest desert in the world and the largest in Asia. At its center is Ar-Rub' al-Khali (The Empty Quarter), one of the largest continuous bodies of sand in the world. It is an extension of the Sahara Desert.[4]
Gazelles, oryx, sand cats, and spiny-tailed lizards are just some of the desert-adapted species that survive in this extreme environment, which features everything from red dunes to deadly quicksand. The climate is mostly dry (the major part receives around 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain per year, but some very rare places receive as little as 50 mm), and temperatures oscillate between very high heat and seasonal night time freezes. It is part of the deserts and xeric shrublands biome and lie in biogeographical realms of the Palearctic (northern part) and Afrotropical (southern part).
The Arabian Desert ecoregion has little biodiversity, although a few endemic plants grow here. Many species, such as the striped hyena, jackal and honey badger, have died out as a result of hunting, habitat destruction, overgrazing by livestock, off-road driving, and human encroachment on their habitat. Other species, such as the Arabian sand gazelle, have been successfully re-introduced and are protected at reserves.
The desert lies mostly in Saudi Arabia and covers most of the country. It extends into neighboring southern Iraq, southern Jordan, central Qatar, most of the Abu Dhabi emirate in the United Arab Emirates, western Oman, and northeastern Yemen. The ecoregion also includes most of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt and the adjacent Negev desert in southern Israel.[1]
The Rub' al-Khali desert is a sedimentary basin stretching along a south-west to north-east axis across the Arabian Shelf.[5] At an altitude of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), rock landscapes yield to the Rub' al-Khali, a vast stretch of sand whose extreme southern point crosses the center of Yemen. The sand overlies gravel or gypsum plains and the dunes reach maximum heights of up to 250 m (820 ft). The sands are predominantly silicates, composed of 80 to 90% quartz and the remainder feldspar, whose iron oxide-coated grains color the sands orange, purple, and red.
A corridor of sandy terrain known as the Ad-Dahna desert connects the An-Nafud desert (65,000 km2 or 40,389 square miles) in the north of Saudi Arabia to the Rub' al-Khali in the south-east.[citation needed] The Tuwaiq escarpment is an 800 km (500 mi) arc that includes limestone cliffs, plateaus, and canyons.[citation needed] There are brackish salt flats, including the quicksands of Umm al Samim.[2] The Sharqiya Sands, formerly known as Wahiba Sands of Oman are an isolated sand sea bordering the east coast.[6][7]
The Arabian Desert has a subtropical, hot desert climate, similar to the climate of the Sahara Desert (the world's largest hot desert). The Arabian Desert is actually an extension of the Sahara Desert over the Arabian peninsula.
The climate is mainly dry. Most areas get around 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain per year. Unlike the Sahara Desert—more than half of which is hyperarid (having rainfall of less than 50 mm (2.0 in) per year)—the Arabian Desert has only a few hyperarid areas. These rare driest areas may get only 30 to 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain per year.
The Arabian Desert’s sunshine duration index is very high by global standards: between 2,900 hours (66.2% of daylight hours) and 3,600 hours (82.1% of daylight hours), but typically around 3,400 hours (77.6% of daylight hours). Thus clear-sky conditions with plenty of sunshine prevail over the region throughout the year, and cloudy periods are infrequent. Visibility at ground level is relatively low, despite the brightness of the sun and moon, because of dust and humidity.
Temperatures remain high year round. In the summer, in low-lying areas, average high temperatures are generally over 40 °C (104 °F). In extremely low-lying areas, especially along the Persian Gulf (near sea level), summer temperatures can reach 48 °C (118 °F). Average low temperatures in summer are typically over 20 °C (68 °F) and in the south can sometimes exceed 30 °C (86 °F). Record high temperatures above 50 °C (122 °F) have been reached in many areas of the desert, partly because its overall elevation is relatively low. [citation needed]
The Arabian Desert ecoregion has about 900 species of plants.[8] The Rub'al-Khali has very limited floristic diversity. There are only 37 plant species, 20 recorded in the main body of the sands and 17 around the outer margins. Of these 37 species, one or two are endemic. Vegetation is very diffuse but fairly evenly distributed, with some interruptions of near sterile dunes.[2] Some typical plants are Calligonum crinitum on dune slopes, Cornulaca arabica (saltbush), Salsola stocksii (saltbush), and Cyperus conglomeratus. Other widespread species are Dipterygium glaucum, Limeum arabicum, and Zygophyllum mandavillei. Very few trees are found except at the outer margin (typically Acacia ehrenbergiana and Prosopis cineraria). Other species are a woody perennial Calligonum comosum, and annual herbs such as Danthonia forskallii.[2]
There are 102 native species of mammals.[8] Native mammals include the Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx), sand gazelle (Gazella marica), mountain gazelle (G. gazella), Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana), Arabian wolf (Canis lupus arabs), striped hyaena (Hyaena hyaena), caracal (Caracal caracal), sand cat (Felis margarita), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), and Cape hare (Lepus capensis).[2] The Asiatic cheetah[9] and Asiatic lion[10] used to live in the Arabian Desert. The ecoregion is home to 310 bird species.[8]
The area is home to several different cultures, languages, and peoples, with Islam as the predominant faith. The major ethnic group in the region is the Arabs, whose primary language is Arabic.
In the center of the desert lies Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, with more than 7 million inhabitants.[11] Other large cities, such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Kuwait City, lie on the coast of the Persian Gulf.
Natural resources available in the Arabian Desert include oil, natural gas, phosphates, and sulfur.[citation needed]
Threats to the ecoregion include overgrazing by livestock and feral camels and goats, wildlife poaching, and damage to vegetation by off-road driving.[2]
The conservation status of the desert is critical/endangered. In the UAE, the sand gazelle and Arabian oryx are threatened, and honey badgers, jackals, and striped hyaenas already extirpated.[2]
4.37% of the ecoregion is in protected areas.[1]
Saudi Arabia has established a system of reserves overseen by the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD).[2]
Protected areas in the United Arab Emirates include Al Houbara Protected Area (2492.0 km2), Al Ghadha Protected Area (1087.51 km2), Arabian Oryx Protected Area (5974.47 km2), Ramlah Protected Area (544.44 km2), and Al Beda'a Protected Area (417.0 km2).[12]
Arabian Nights Tours Camp in Abu Dhabi, UAE, offers an immersive desert adventure experience. Located in the heart of the Arabian desert, the camp provides guests with a traditional Bedouin-style setting, complete with comfortable tents and authentic decor. Visitors can enjoy a range of activities, including dune bashing, camel rides, and sandboarding. The camp also features cultural entertainment such as belly dancing, henna painting, and traditional music. Guests are treated to a sumptuous buffet of Arabic cuisine under the stars, making for a memorable and picturesque desert experience. Arabian Nights Tours Camp combines adventure, culture, and relaxation in a stunning desert landscape.
Yes, Buggy Dubai is completely safe when operated by licensed professionals like Dune Buggy Rentals Dubai. We provide certified guides, safety briefings, helmets, and well-maintained vehicles with full insurance coverage. Safety is our top priority.
Buggy Dubai refers to exhilarating off-road dune buggy experiences in Dubai's Arabian Desert. It involves driving powerful vehicles like Polaris RZR and Can-Am Maverick across golden sand dunes, offering tourists and adventure seekers an unforgettable desert adventure.
Buggy Dubai prices start from AED 600 for a 2-seater Polaris RZR 1000cc, AED 800 for a 4-seater Polaris, and AED 999 for a 2-seater Can-Am Maverick X3. All packages include guided tours, unlimited mineral water, and safety equipment.