Dubai welcomes over 8.6 million tourists in 5 months

File picture [for illustration]

Dubai continues to shine as a global tourism hotspot, welcoming 8.68 million international visitors between January and May 2025 — a 7 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

According to the latest Tourism Performance Report from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, 1.53 million tourists arrived in May alone.

Western Europe topped the list of source markets, contributing nearly 1.92 million visitors. Russia, CIS countries and Eastern Europe followed with 1.4 million, while South Asia and the GCC region each brought in over 1.2 million tourists.

Other key markets included the Middle East and North Africa, Northeast and Southeast Asia, the Americas, Africa and Australia.

Dubai’s hotel sector also saw growth, with 825 establishments offering over 153,000 rooms. Average occupancy rose to 83 per cent, and total room nights reached 19 million — up 4 per cent from last year.

Guests stayed an average of 3.8 nights, with the average daily room rate climbing to AED 620. Revenue per available room also increased to AED 513, reflecting a 7 per cent year-on-year boost.

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