Annual Visitor Report 2023

Dubai showcased its tourism strength to the world in 2023, with the emirate welcoming a record 17.15 million international visitors, up 19.4% compared to 2022 and surpassing the previous benchmark of 16.73 million set in 2019. Dubai’s reputation as one of the world’s most dynamic tourism destinations, backed up by a portfolio of experiences that attract a broad spectrum of visitors, was key to its record-breaking performance last year.

The city’s remarkable popularity drove its performance beyond pre-pandemic levels, making it one of only a few destinations worldwide to achieve this milestone in 2023. Dubai also continued to add to its growing collection of international accolades, with the city being named the world’s No.1 destination for the third consecutive year in the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Destinations Awards 2024 – a first for any city.

Dubai was also named the No.1 city in the world to relocate to in a report by financial services provider Remitly and was declared the best city in the world for remote workers by property consultancy Savills in its 2023 Executive Nomad Index. Other milestones included securing second place in Euromonitor International’s Top 100 City Destinations Index for 2023 and being named among the top 10 cities in the Global Power City Index, published by the Mori Memorial Foundation’s Institute for Urban Strategies in Japan.

These achievements are testament to the emirate’s commitment to excellence, its world-class amenities and outstanding service standards, and the successful and enduring partnership between public and private tourism stakeholders that continue to drive its tourism sector to reach new heights.

The industry’s outstanding performance also reinforces its importance to the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, the groundbreaking initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which aims to further consolidate Dubai’s position as one of the top three global cities for business and leisure, and the best city to visit, live and work in.