Dubai is the world's most visited city in the first quarter of 2022
The city of Dubai is breaking world records in terms of tourism. The city has become the main choice for travellers and in the first quarter of this year it has become the most visited city in the world. The latest figures show that around 3.97 million people visited the city between January and March. As a result, Dubai has also taken its place at the top of the world ranking for hotel occupancy, with hotel occupancy figures of 82%.
This is a great growth for Dubai and represents an extraordinary recovery of the tourism sector in the area. In the same period in 2021, the city welcomed 1.27 million visitors. This is a huge boom for the region, with visits growing by more than 214% and reaffirming its position on the global stage of top holiday and business destinations.
It has overtaken other popular international destinations. The city ranked ahead of London, which had a total hotel occupancy rate of 56 %, New York with 55.3 % and Paris with 51.2 %, according to STR data.
"Dubai's ability to outperform other major global cities on tourism indicators demonstrates the success of the far-reaching vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai," said Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the city's Executive Council.
"It has created a centre for business, investment, entrepreneurship and tourism that rivals the best in the world. Dubai has overcome the most complex global challenges, including the repercussions of the recent global health crisis, to create a destination that offers great value to travellers, whether for leisure or business," he continued.
The Emirates continues to gain a global presence and Dubai's emergence as the world's most visited city is no coincidence. Much of this is due to the relaxation of travel restrictions around the world following the easing of anti-coronavirus measures. Tourist visas have also been extended to allow tourists to spend more time in the region.
Much of its tourism boom has been driven by recent events in the city that have boosted economic growth, such as the Dubai Expo 2020. The world's fair has attracted 24 million people to visit the venue and has become one of the most successful exhibitions. Likewise, other global events have contributed to the growth of the tourism sector, such as the Dubai World Cup, the Global Government Summit, Binance Blockchain Week, Dubai Dessert Classic, Duty Free Tennis Championship, Gulfood, Dubai International Boat Show and the Shopping Festival that is typical in the area.
Importantly, global campaigns have also been created to promote tourism in the city. The city's leaders have relied on international celebrities such as model Jessica Alba and American actor Zac Efron to help attract visitors.
However, the city has not wanted to remain a business destination and has opted to create other sources of investment to attract all kinds of tourists. An example of this is the opening of the Museum of the Future or the diverse gastronomic tasting that exists. Dubai is considered one of the world's gastronomic centres according to the Michelin Guide and the city alone has more than 12,000 restaurants and other venues dedicated to food from more than 200 types of international cultures.
Sustainability initiatives are also a major focus of tourism in the Emirates. Dubai has long been creating major campaigns aimed at attracting targeted travellers who want to settle in destinations that are committed to the environment. One such campaign is Dubai Can, a project that encourages visitors to the city to change their lifestyle to a more eco-friendly one and aims to reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles