Strategic partnerships, global marketing campaigns and major events contributed to Dubai welcoming 19.59 million international overnight visitors in 2025, marking a 5% increase compared to 18.72 million arrivals in 2024, according to data published by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), and a third successive year of record-setting figures.

The city ended the year by welcoming more than 2 million visitors in a single calendar month for the first time in December, building strong momentum heading into 2026, reported WAM.

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 the remarkable annual performance of the city’s tourism industry reflects the strategic vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and the ambitious goals set out in the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.

“Dubai’s strong tourism growth momentum has been driven by the leadership’s commitment to building a city that connects the world, creates opportunity, and offers distinctive and enriching experiences for global travellers. By further enhancing the city’s exceptional infrastructure and forging strong global partnerships, we continue to consolidate Dubai’s emergence as one of the world’s most sought after destinations. Dubai’s success also reflects the city’s diversity, cultural vibrancy, and its ability to continuously evolve its tourism and hospitality offerings. Through close collaboration between all stakeholders, we are focused on driving greater innovation and raising service excellence across the tourism ecosystem.”

“The tourism sector is one of the key drivers of economic diversification and sustainable growth, in line with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. We are focused on further developing Dubai’s integrated tourism ecosystem to reinforce its status as a leading global destination for business and leisure and one of the world’s best cities to visit, live and work in.” He added.

Growth in key regions

DET’s diversified year-round market strategy, delivered in collaboration with domestic stakeholders and more than 3,000 international partners, showcased Dubai to new and returning visitors from both traditional and emerging markets.

This led to an increase in arrivals from key regions, while also attracting new permanent residents, investors and businesses.

In December, the city welcomed 2.04 million international overnight visitors, marking 6% year-on-year growth.

The previous record month for the city was January 2025, with 1.94 million visitors.

According to DET’s full year data, the GCC and MENA proximity markets had a combined 26% share of overall visitors to Dubai in 2025, with 2.99 million (15%) and 2.17 million (11%) arrivals respectively. Western Europe was again the largest source market to Dubai, with 4.1 million visitors (21%), up from 3.74 million in 2024, followed by CIS and Eastern Europe (2.89 million; 15%), South Asia (2.89 million; 15%), North East and South East Asia (1.85 million; 9%), the Americas (1.40 million; 7%), Africa (897,000; 5%) and Australasia (401,000; 2%).

Helal Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said: “Under the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai’s 2025 tourism performance reflects the strength of our economic model, one anchored in effective public-private collaboration and aligned with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33. Tourism continues to be a key driver of economic diversification, delivering tangible impact through GDP growth, investment inflows, and global talent attraction. Our focus remains on scaling sustainable, accessible growth and accelerating progress toward the D33 ambition to double Dubai’s economy by 2033.”

The continued growth in visitation reflects the strength of Dubai’s diversified destination strategy, delivered in close partnership with the public and private sector.

Building on Dubai’s ranking as the world’s leading hub for Greenfield Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) project attraction, tourism and hospitality continues to be a key driver for economic growth, contributing significantly to the emirate’s gross domestic product (GDP) and supporting the wider D33 ambition to double the size of the emirate’s economy by 2033.

According to data published in the Financial Times Ltd’s ‘fDi Markets’ tracking database, in the first half of 2025, hotels and tourism (21.3%) was one of the top five sectors for total estimated FDI capital flows into Dubai.

Adding to its appeal for international audiences, new openings and the launch of strategic initiatives saw Dubai’s hotel and hospitality sectors record impressive results in 2025.

By the end of December, the city’s hotel inventory reached 154,264 rooms across 827 establishments, which puts it well ahead of global peer cities such as Bangkok, New York, Paris and Singapore, and almost on par with London in terms of total room inventory.

In 2025, the city welcomed new property openings across all segments and in various locations, including Ciel Dubai Marina, Vignette Collection by IHG, the world’s tallest hotel; Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab; Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai; Cheval Maison - Expo City; and Vida Dubai Mall.

Average occupancy for hotels in Dubai stood at 80.7% in 2025, up from 78.2% in 2024, according to DET’s hospitality metrics.

Occupied room nights increased by 4% to 44.85 million in 2025, compared to 43.03 million in 2024, with guests’ length of stay averaging 3.7 nights.

The average daily rate (ADR) rose to AED579, an increase of 8% compared to AED538 in 2024, while revenue per available room (RevPAR) increased by 11% to AED467 compared to AED421 the previous year.

Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), part of DET, said: “Guided by visionary leadership, Dubai’s record international visitation is a testament to global confidence in the destination and the effectiveness of policies aligned with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, as well as the collective strength of partnerships across sectors and communities that defines our city. We’re attracting the world’s top talent through progressive visa policies and positioning Dubai as the destination of choice for entrepreneurs, remote workers, and families, and elevating Dubai as the world’s leading hub across a wide range of economic sectors. As we look forward, our priorities will be to continue enhancing Dubai’s global competitiveness through digital innovation and providing exceptional guest experiences at every touchpoint, with powerful momentum after surpassing the 2 million figure for a single month in December for the first time. In partnership with stakeholders across the public and sectors, we remain dedicated to sustained investment in capacity, infrastructure development, and initiatives to make Dubai the world’s best city to visit, live and work in.”

In 2025, a number of new initiatives were introduced to drive the growth in Dubai’s hospitality sector. Launched by DET in October, the Hotel Incentive Programme for investors is designed to stimulate development in future high-growth areas, and applies to new hotels, resorts, hotel apartments and other facilities located within Dubai South, Palm Jebel Ali, Dubai Parks, and the Dubai Islands.

Developed by DET, a citywide introduction of a one-time contactless hotel guest check-in solution was also unveiled in December, which will allow guests to bypass in-person check-in procedures once implemented at the city’s hotels and holiday homes to maximise time in the city.

Showcasing Dubai’s ever-evolving and diverse destination offering, the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), part of DET, launched a series of campaigns in 2025, including ‘Find Your Story’, with Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi; ‘Dubai.

That’s How You Summer’; and ‘Dubai, Ready for a Surprise?’, with Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma. These dynamic global marketing campaigns continue to be a key driver of visitation by promoting Dubai to new international audiences.

Further supporting the goals of the D33 Agenda, DET signed strategic partnerships in 2025 with global organisations such as Marriott International, Visa, Hyatt, Premier Inn, and Amadeus to enhance the visitor experience and elevate the city’s global appeal.

A highlight last year was the unveiling of the Beautiful Destinations Academy, Powered by Dubai, to further develop the creator community.

Launched in April by DET in partnership with Beautiful Destinations, the pioneering professional development initiative sets new global benchmarks for travel content creation.

Reinforcing a commitment to accessible travel, sustainability and safety, Dubai received multiple global accolades in 2025.

One of the year’s biggest milestones came in April when Dubai was recognised as the first Certified Autism Destination in the Eastern Hemisphere.

Other major accolades saw Dubai ranked as one of the world’s top ten safest cities in Numbeo’s Safety Index by City and named the world’s best city for solo female travellers in a study by travel insurance company InsureMyTrip, receiving the highest scores across the 62-city survey for ‘feeling safe’ and for ‘feeling safe walking alone at night’.

The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025 list was announced in October with Dubai having three properties included: Atlantis The Royal at No.6, Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab a new entry at No.20, and The Lana Dubai at No.35.

The first MICHELIN Key hotels in the Middle East were also revealed in October, with 13 Dubai-based hotels awarded keys and 34 selected for a ‘high quality stay’.

On The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list, announced in June, two Dubai restaurants were included in the top 50.

 Trèsind Studio was ranked at No.27, and named the best restaurant in the Middle East, while Orfali Bros re-entered the top 50, ranking at No.37.

It was also announced in October that cultural food tours in Old Dubai had been named as one of the top global experiences for 2026 in Lonely Planet’s Best In Travel guide, spotlighting Dubai’s diverse and unique culinary scene.

In 2025, Dubai International (DXB) retained its position as the world’s busiest airport for international passengers for the 11th consecutive year, according to Airports Council International (ACI).

DXB achieved its highest quarterly traffic in Q3 2025, welcoming 24.2 million guests between July and September – a 1.9% increase year-on-year. Total traffic for the first nine months of 2025 was 70.1 million guests, a 2.1% increase year-on-year.

Developed and managed by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), part of DET, the city’s retail calendar and marquee events such as the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) and Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) continued to attract international visitors throughout the year.

In 2025, it was a record edition for DFC with over three million total participants, up from 2.7 million participants in 2024. This year it will celebrate its tenth edition.

Concluding the sporting year in December, the inaugural World Sports Summit organised by Dubai Sports Council welcomed more than 1,500 global sports leaders to the city.

Aligned with the objectives of the Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033, the summit reinforced Dubai’s position as a global hub for sports tourism and events.

Looking ahead to the biggest events in 2026, the prestigious Dubai World Cup will mark a historic milestone with its 30th running since the inaugural race in 1996.

At the 2025 World Travel Awards, Dubai was named the world’s leading exhibition destination. Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau and part of DET, secured 504 successful bids in 2025 to host events through to 2029, including major congresses and high-profile incentive programmes.

This achievement marked a 15% increase compared to the previous year, and represented a strong success rate from a total of 747 bids submitted, up 11% year-on-year.

Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), established by DET, achieved notable progress in 2025, reinforcing its position as a leader in hospitality education and workforce development.

In March 2025, DCT announced additional apprenticeship qualifications including the launch of Hospitality Apprenticeship Programme for Emiratis followed by a partnership with Emirates Flight Catering to expand the Culinary Arts Apprenticeship Programme.

DCT graduated its first intake of students of determination in December having successfully completed a practical skills course designed to assist them to enter the workforce.

A significant milestone was also achieved in 2025, with DCT securing onward articulation pathways for students to UK BA top up programmes in Hospitality, Events and Tourism.

The knowledge and resourcefulness of the tourist-facing-workforce is a critical pillar for DCT and the online training platform, Dubai Way, crossed over 200,000 students, with over 70,000 now having completed training in Autism and Sensory Awareness.

Aligned with the D33 Agenda, these initiatives demonstrate DCT’s commitment to developing the city’s tourism workforce, integrating Emiratis into the private sector, and consolidating Dubai's position as a premier global destination for hospitality excellence.

Aligned with the goals of the D33 Agenda, Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, and Quality of Life Strategy 2033, Dubai’s flagship sustainability initiatives achieved significant milestones in 2025.

DET’s Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) drive recognised 153 hotels with the DST Stamp in February 2025, representing a 118% increase from the previous year’s 70 hotels.

The recognition system awarded 18 hotels gold tier status, 64 silver, and 71 bronze based on assessments of energy efficiency, water conservation, and waste management practices. Submissions have already been made for the third cycle of the DST Stamp, with awardees to be announced soon.

Dubai Can’s Refill for Life initiative expanded its water refill station network in 2025 with redesigned stations featuring improved user-friendliness and advanced technology.

By the end of the year, the initiative had eliminated 42.7 million single-use plastic bottles while dispensing more than 21.3 million litres of water via 65 strategically positioned stations.

DUBAI REEF, one of the largest purpose-built reef developments in the world, also progressed with more than 68% of its planned 20,000 reef modules fabricated and more than 47% deployed by the end of 2025, supporting the conservation of local marine species.

Gastronomy

Dubai further cemented its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing and most exciting culinary capitals with a host of new restaurant openings which showcased the city’s diverse gastronomy scene.

Home to a variety of gastronomical experiences appealing to all budgets and preferences, Dubai’s food and beverage sector is influenced by the tastes of nearly 200 nationalities who call the emirate home.

Standout new openings in 2025 included New York-style Italian restaurant CARBONE at Atlantis The Royal, high-end Chinese restaurant brand China Tang at The Lana Dorchester Collection, and a range of dining experiences at the five-star Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab resort.

Unveiled in May, the fourth edition of the MICHELIN Guide Dubai featured a total of 119 restaurants across 35 cuisines, including FZN by Björn Frantzén and Trèsind Studio being named the city’s first three-starred restaurants.

The 2025 MICHELIN Guide also included three two-starred restaurants, 14 one-starred, 22 Bib Gourmands, and three MICHELIN Green Stars. With this latest recognition for FZN, Björn Frantzén became the first chef globally to hold three MICHELIN stars for three different restaurants, while homegrown concept Trèsind Studio became the world’s first Indian MICHELIN three-starred restaurant.

Outlook for 2026 and beyond

Looking ahead, Dubai will accelerate its D33 vision with bold infrastructure advancements and cultural milestones.

As the UAE observes the Year of the Family in 2026, Dubai is reinforcing the values that make it more than just a destination.

The Ramadan month and Season of Wulfa period will showcase a shared heritage, bringing people together through authentic cultural experiences and community gatherings that celebrate the nearly 200 nationalities that reside in the city.

New and upcoming developments that will cater to the growing population and tourism numbers include the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) and the construction of the Dubai Metro Blue Line, which will further integrate neighbourhoods, making the city even more welcoming and accessible.

The extensive infrastructure developments and strategic initiatives planned for 2026 and beyond will further strengthen Dubai's tourism proposition.

Through the seamless fusion of cutting-edge technology, preserved cultural authenticity, and sustainable urban planning, Dubai is shaping a future-forward metropolis that sets new benchmarks for destination excellence.

These transformative investments ensure the emirate remains at the forefront of global tourism while establishing a resilient, sustainable foundation for future generations.