Dubai welcomed 9.31 million international overnight visitors from January to June 2024, a 9% increase over the 8.55 million tourist arrivals in the first half of 2023.
Adding to its impressive list of accolades, Dubai has emerged as the most popular city on TikTok, boasting over 29.7 million posts, ahead of London (10.3 million posts) and Paris (8.8 million posts). This achievement underscores Dubai’s appeal on the fastest-growing social media platform, where travellers often seek inspiration for their next getaway. Dubai was also named the No.1 global destination for a third successive year in the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards.
Growth came from key markets in the first half of 2024. From January to June 2024, Australasia showed remarkable growth, contributing 154,000 visitors (2% of the total), marking a substantial 27% increase from the 121,000 visitors recorded in the same period last year.
World-class hotels and accommodation continue to be one of the core pillars of Dubai’s destination offering, and adding to the city’s appeal for global visitors, 2024 saw a number of high-profile openings including: The Lana, Dorchester Collection’s first Middle East property; SIRO One Za’abeel, Dubai’s first fitness hotel; and Hilton Dubai Creek Hotel & Residences. Dubai’s position as a world gastronomy capital was further reinforced after the third edition of the MICHELIN Guide Dubai was unveiled in July. The guide featured 106 restaurants, up from 90 in 2023, including four that were awarded two MICHELIN stars, 15 with one star, three with a green star, 18 Bib Gourmands, and 69 MICHELIN-selected restaurants.
The ongoing expansion of the cruise sector is also seeing significant benefits for Dubai, and in the 2023/2024 winter season from October to April the emirate welcomed more than 132 ship calls between Mina Rashid and Dubai Harbour. Business events also played a critical role – both through the major homegrown trade shows the city hosts annually, as well as the conferences and meetings brought to the city as a result of bidding activity driven by Dubai Business Events.