Dubai welcomes 9.88 million international visitors in H1 2025

Dubai has recorded a 6% increase in tourist numbers in the first six months of 2025 compared to the same time period last year.

 

Data shared by Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) shows that proximity markets in the GCC region and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) represented a combined 26% share of overall visitors to Dubai, bringing in 1.51 million (15%) and 1.12 million (11%) guests respectively. 

 

Outside of the region, Western Europe was the largest source market with 2.12 million visitors (22%), followed by the Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) at 15%, South Asia (15%), North East and South East Asia (9%), the Americas (7%), Africa (4%) and Australasia (2%).

 

Contributing to the rise, Dubai has upped the ante on campaigns geared at promoting tourism globally, with DCTCM rolling out a series of campaigns such as ’Find Your Story’ with Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi’ and ’Dubai, Ready for a Surprise?’ with South Asian stars Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma.

 

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Dubai has also formed strategic partnerships with hospitality giants Marriott International, Hyatt and Premier Inn to enhance the visitor experience. Other upcoming high-profile openings include the Mandarin Oriental Downtown Dubai, ZUHHA Island on The World Islands and Ciel Dubai Marina, Vignette Collection.

 

In addition, Dubai has received numerous global accolades, including that of being the first Certified Autism Destination in the Eastern Hemisphere, in addition to being ranked a ‘Best of the Best’ destination at the 2025 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards. Other wins that continue to draw in tourists include high survey scores for “feeling safe” and for “feeling safe walking alone at night”, with a marked increase in female solo travellers contributing to the increase in visitor numbers.

 

Meanwhile, the city’s culinary offering was boosted with the fourth edition of the Michelin Guide Dubai featuring a total of 119 restaurants across 35 cuisines, including the city’s first three-Michelin-starred restaurants. Furthermore, two restaurants – Trèsind Studio and Orfali Bros Bistro – made the cut in the 2025 World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking.

 

Dubai also led the rankings for the total number of association meetings hosted in 2024 in the Middle East, according to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).

For more information, visit: www.dubaidet.gov.ae