Dubai saw an impressive 16.79 million international visitors between January and November 2024, reflecting a 9% increase compared to the same period last year, which recorded 15.37 million visitors.
The latest Dubai Tourism Sector 2024 Performance Report, published by the Department of Economy and Tourism, highlights that 1.83 million tourists visited in November alone. Monthly arrivals earlier in the year included 1.77 million in January, 1.9 million in February, 1.51 million in March, 1.5 million in April, 1.44 million in May, 1.19 million in June, 1.31 million in both July and August, 1.36 million in September, and 1.67 million in October.
Top Tourist Source Regions
Western Europe led as the primary source of tourists, contributing 20% of the total visitors—equivalent to 3.298 million people. Close behind was South Asia, with 2.858 million visitors, accounting for 17% of the total.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries ranked third, contributing over 2.5 million tourists, or 15% of the total. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Eastern Europe collectively brought in 2.353 million tourists, making up 14%.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region accounted for 1.933 million visitors (12%), while North East and South East Asia combined contributed 1.622 million tourists, equating to 10%.
Visitor Demographics
The Americas sent 1.117 million tourists during the first 11 months of 2024, representing 7% of total visitors. African nations accounted for 791,000 tourists (5%), while Australia contributed 319,000 visitors, which is approximately 2% of the total.
Growing Hotel Supply
By November 2024, Dubai’s hospitality sector boasted 153,390 hotel rooms across 828 establishments—up from 149,685 rooms in 820 establishments in November 2023.
During this period, over 39.19 million hotel room bookings were recorded, reflecting a 3% growth compared to 38.01 million bookings in 2023. Visitors stayed an average of 3.6 nights.
Breakdown of Hotel Categories
- 5-Star Hotels: 53,977 rooms across 168 establishments (35% of total capacity).
- 4-Star Hotels: 43,345 rooms in 194 properties.
- 1 to 3-Star Hotels: 29,701 rooms across 278 establishments.
- Luxury Hotel Apartments: 13,944 rooms in 80 properties.
- Mid-Range Hotel Apartments: 12,423 rooms in 108 establishments.
The average daily room rate (ADR) for January to November was AED 520, a 2% increase from AED 510 in 2023. The average revenue per available room (RevPAR) climbed 3%, reaching AED 405, compared to AED 394 last year.
