Dubai Tourism Statistics

Dubai, the crown jewel of the United Arab Emirates, is known for its modern architecture, luxury, and unique attractions. Tourism plays a key role in its economy, drawing millions of visitors annually.

Over 16 million international visitors travel to Dubai each year (based on pre-pandemic and post-pandemic recovery trends).

• Dubai welcomed 13.2 million visitors in 2014, with steady growth observed through 2019, peaking at 16.7 million visitors, a growth of 26.5% over five years¹.
• In 2020, the number of visitors dropped to 5.5 million, reflecting a 67.1% decrease compared to 2019 due to pandemic-related restrictions.
• Tourism began recovering in 2021, with 7.3 million visitors, reflecting a 32.7% growth from the previous year.
• The positive trend continued in 2023 as Dubai welcomed over 17.2 million international tourists, surpassing both its 2022 numbers and the pre-pandemic visitor count from 2019.
• Dubai welcomed 18.7 million tourists in 2024, indicating an 8.7% increase from 2023 and a 12% increase from 2019².

How many tourists visited Dubai in 2025?

Over 11.17 million tourists visited Dubai between January and July 2025, representing a 5% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

• Dubai’s Monthly Performance for 2025:
  • January-February 2025: 3.82 million visitors (+4% year-on-year).
  • January-March 2025: 5.31 million visitors (+3% year-on-year).
  • January-April 2025: 7.15 million visitors (+7% year-on-year).
  • January-May 2025: 8.68 million visitors (+7% year-on-year).
  • January-June 2025: 9.88 million visitors (+6% year-on-year).
  • January-July 2025: 11.17 million visitors (+5% year-on-year).

How many tourists visited Dubai in 2024?

Dubai welcomed 18.7 million international visitors in 2024.

• This indicated a 8.7% increase compared to 2023 and was 12% higher than the pre-pandemic year of 2019.

• In 2024, Dubai welcomed over 2.2 million Indian tourists, which was a 22% increase from the previous year and 12% higher than the peak visitation year 2019with 1.97 million Indian visitors.
• Following India, Oman contributed the second-largest group of visitors with 1.57 million tourists.
• The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was the third-leading nation, boasting 1.45 million travellers.
• The United Kingdom and Russia were close behind with 1.25 million visits and 910,000 visits, respectively.

• The best months to visit Dubai are between November and March when temperatures range from 15°C to 25°C.
• During these months, all of the major attractions and outdoor locations are easily accessible and pleasant.

In 2024, visitors spent an average of 10 days per visit in Dubai, a 27.5% decrease from the previous year.

• In 2019, visitors spent an average of 8 days in Dubai. The year 2020 and 2021 marked an increase in this duration with visitors spending an average of 9.7 days and 9.6 days in Dubai, respectively.
• In 2022, visitors spent an average of 7.8 days in Dubai. While this suggests a slight decline from the previous years, it remains a significant duration for visitor stays.
• In 2023, visitors spent an average of 13.8 days per visit in Dubai. This indicates a 73% increase compared to 2019 and 42% higher compared to 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic.

• Dubai Mall is the most famous attraction in Dubai, with 99% of travelers visiting the mall in 2024. 86% of travelers visited the fountain, while 72% of visitors explored the beach and marine.
• 66% of travelers roamed around heritage and cultural districts. Famous attractions such as the Burj Khalifa and Palm Jumeirah attracted 48% and 38% of total travelers, respectively.
• Attractions like Global Village and Museum of the Future were explored by 34% and 31% of all travelers. 43% of all visitors to Dubai engaged in the Desert Safari in 2024.