As Dubai celebrates a year since reopening its borders to foreign tourists on July 7, 2020, the latest statistics provided by Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) indicates the city received 3.7 million overnight guests between July 2020 and May 2021. The great outcome underscores Dubai's leadership role in global tourism recovery, highlighting the city's lasting attractiveness as a must-visit location and reinforcing the city's commitment to safeguarding the health and safety of all inhabitants and tourists.

“The latest data demonstrates that Dubai's tourist rebound is increasing momentum, despite the present problems experienced by worldwide markets,” said Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai. The emirate's economic endurance and adaptability in the face of a quickly changing global environment are reflected not just in basic characteristics of Dubai's tourist sector and the variety of its source markets, but also in the emirate's rising momentum of recovery. We have witnessed amazing dedication and proactivity from all stakeholders in the public and commercial sectors to collaborate to implement new ways that help solidify the sector's long-term recovery. Furthermore, Dubai's capability to execute a stringent preventive procedure framework has made the country one of the world's safest tourist destinations. As we make preparations to conduct Expo 2020, these extraordinary requirements would allow us to ensure that the event meets the highest worldwide standards of safety and security for all visitors.”

As per Dubai Tourism statistics, the emirate lured more than 1.7 million tourists from open markets between July and December 2020 and an additional two million visitors in the first five months of 2021. The everchanging travel landscape has created some notable performances from the feeder and emerging markets, particularly CIS countries including Kazakhstan and Ukraine, and East African markets like Ethiopia and Sudan, which have already demonstrated strong growth potential to be among the top 15 source markets for Dubai since it officially opened its doors to international travelers.

“The sequence of swift strategic steps taken by Dubai's leadership facilitated the city to illustrate a high level of resilience, foresight, and agility in managing the pandemic and eventually take the initiative in the restart of international tourism,” said Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai Tourism.

The rebound in foreign arrivals reflects our dedication to a diversified market strategy, our tourism sector's capability to adjust and respond with agility throughout all markets, the lasting attraction of our world-class diverse offers, and visitors' faith in Dubai as a secure destination.

The great outcome also supports the efficacy of Dubai's public-private strategic alliance, and our extensive worldwide marketing efforts aimed to maintain Dubai's desirability as a top destination for global travelers. Our key partners, including Emirates, flydubai, Dubai Airports, and other industry stakeholders, played an important role in industry stabilization by continuously conveying the message that Dubai is open and secure for all travelers.”

Dubai's significant tourist resurgence demonstrates the efficacy of its multi-pronged COVID-19 response strategy. Dubai, inspired by its visionary leadership, immediately launched comprehensive citywide management of the pandemic, attempting to take immediate and successful steps to prevent the virus's spread. The provision of a relief package of over AED7.1 billion, along with a gradual reopening of critical sectors, and Dubai Tourism's strong engagement with local stakeholders and over 3,000 partners globally, aided the industry in charting a steady road for recovery.

The hospitality industry is rebounding as the domestic market kick-starts the tourism rebound.

Dubai's recovery strategy, undertaken in constant collaboration with stakeholders, was essential in reviving the local hospitality sector in May 2020, laying the foundation for the return of foreign tourists in July 2020. Pent-up demand for staycations between UAE residents, including Emiratis and expats from almost 200 nationalities, spurred tourist growth, with hotel occupancy growing considerably from 35% in July 2020 to 58% in May 2021.

According to statistics from hotel management analytics firm STR, hotel occupancy in Dubai surged in December 2020 (69%) and January 2021 (66%), with the city placing second internationally behind Singapore and ahead of Paris and London. Notably, the daily average rate (ADR) rebounded, rising from AED238 in July 2020 to AED383 in May 2021.

Considering the disruption created by COVID-19 in several industries, Dubai remains a significant potential for hotel development. In July 2020, 591 hotel establishments totaling 100,000 rooms were completely consistent with health and safety regulations. In May 2021, there would be 715 hotel businesses offering 128,000 rooms.

The combined efforts of Dubai Tourism and partners to promote domestic travel demand culminated in city hotels welcome 5.5 million domestic tourists between July 2020 and May 2021, compared to 2.66 million domestic hotel bookings during July 2019 and May 2020, a remarkable year-on-year increase of 106%.