Here's how Dubai clinched no. 1 global destination title

Dubai’s ranking as the No. 1 global destination in the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2022 has given the city a milestone moment in the new year.

It will bolster the emirate's drive to achieve the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the most visited destination and the best city to live and work in.

Dubai’s multi-pronged strategy to stay open, safe and accessible helped the city top the list of Tripadvisor's Travellers’ Choice Awards for best global destination, and was also voted the world’s #1 destination for city lovers and #4 destination for food lovers.

Winning the three accolades is a significant achievement for Dubai as the awards were determined by the quality and quantity of independent destination reviews and ratings from travellers across accommodation, restaurants and activities over 12 months from November 1, 2020 to October 31, 2021.

"This achievement is testament to the dynamism, resilience and accessibility of Dubai and how we continue to successfully provide moments of delight to residents and visitors, and overall, delivering the highest standards of service and best guest experience across all tourism touchpoints right from their arrival in the city and until they depart," said Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).

"It also points to the growing collaboration between the Department of Economy and Tourism and its stakeholders and partners, both domestic and international, to position Dubai as a global hub for business and leisure, as well as building on its credentials as an international events destination with the success of Expo 2020 Dubai and the UAE’s Golden Jubilee celebrations," he added.

As one of the first destinations in the world to close, then open and remain open, Dubai's effective management of the pandemic and early initiative to lead the global tourism recovery restored travel confidence and positioned the city as one of the safest destinations.

The constant dialogue and cooperation between DET and stakeholders ensured that the ecosystem was aligned in collectively promoting Dubai as a must-visit destination, highlighting the diverse destination proposition and reinforcing the message that that the city is open and safe for domestic and global travellers.

Dubai also launched initiatives to ease barriers to entry for business and leisure travellers, as well as long-term residency initiatives that offer pathways for deeper engagement and longevity with Dubai.

These include the new visas and programmes such as Golden Visa targeting investors, entrepreneurs and specialised talents, the Five-Year Multi-Entry Visa for employees of multinational companies, and the Virtual working and Retire in Dubai Programmes.

"We have a positive outlook for 2022 and beyond, as we continue to prioritise efforts to strengthen the collaborative ecosystem and amplify tourism volumes through global campaigns designed to showcase the city as the perfect getaway for travellers from all demographics and segments," explained Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DCTCM).

According to the latest data published by DET, Dubai welcomed over six million international visitors between January and November 2021, which surpasses the 5.5 million tourists who visited Dubai for the entire 2020.

During this 11-month period, 743 hotel establishments with over 136,000 rooms also opened their doors to guests, delivering strong occupancy levels of over 60 per cent, which is among the highest occupancy rates internationally.

Expo 2020 Dubai has also made a major contribution towards creating awareness of Dubai and drawing more visitors to the city.

Since opening on 1 October 2020, Expo 2020 has attracted over 10 million visits by residents and global travellers.

Dubai’s multi-pronged strategy to stay open, safe and accessible wins city no.1 global destination title in Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2022 https://t.co/CTy51QOt0R

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) January 24, 2022

Helal Almarri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET): This achievement is a testament to the dynamism, resilience and accessibility of Dubai and how we continue to successfully provide moments of delight to residents and visitors.

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) January 24, 2022