In the first quarter of 2022, Dubai became the world leader in terms of hotel occupancy, according to the local Department of Economy and Tourism. Over the past period, the emirate received 3.97 million foreign visitors, which was the best quarterly figure since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thus, between January and March 2021, only 1.27 million foreign visitors visited Dubai, that is, an increase of 214% year on year. Thus, the emirate has strengthened its status as a priority destination for international tourists, approaching the cherished goal of becoming the most visited city in the world.
In March 2022 alone, Dubai received 1.78 million foreign visitors, up 11% from the same period before the pandemic. So, in March 2019, 1.61 million tourists rested in Dubai. It should be noted that the world exhibition “EXPO-2020” held in Dubai contributed to the growth of the tourist flow.
35% of the total tourist flow came from the countries of the Middle East and North Africa, including the countries of the Persian Gulf: family tourists prevailed among the guests. Another 24% of the guests came from Western Europe, 14% – from South Asia.
At the same time, the number of hotel rooms increased by 10% compared to the first quarter of 2021. There are currently 769 hotels in Dubai with a total stock of 140,192 rooms. Hotels reached an occupancy rate of 82%, outperforming London (56.0%), New York (55.3%) and Paris (51.2%).
More than 12 thousand restaurants and cafes are open in Dubai, where the cuisine of 200 peoples of the world is presented. The emirate also remains one of the safest places on the planet with a 97% COVID-19 vaccination rate.