Tourists’ Arrivals To The UAE On The Rise, Latest Data By Expedia Group Reveals

The United Arab Emirates is unique when it comes to travel patterns owing to its large expat community. According to Expedia Group data taken from Q3 2019, the UAE remains a popular choice for international travelers. The data revealed that the top 10 feeder markets were the USA, UK, France, India, China, Ireland, Australia, Germany, Italy and Brazil. There was significant increase in demand from Brazil and Portugal which could be attributed to the Emirates codeshare partnership with LATAM Airlines and direct flights to Porto, both announced earlier this year.

According to the latest data compiled by Expedia Group from the third quarter of 2019, though travelers from the USA, the UK and France topped the list for overall demand into the country, travellers from China still showed a robust 50% year on year growth in package demand. A surge in arrivals into Dubai was recorded over the summer months resulting in 12.08 million international overnight visitors in the first nine months of 2019, according to the data released by Dubai’s Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism)¹. The UAE welcomed 2.89 million Indian tourists in 2018 and it is estimated to grow to 5.29 million by 2024, according to the report by Colliers International done in partnership with Arabian Travel Market (ATM)².

Dubai ranks at the forefront of infrastructure, smart governance, technology, business and tourism in the region. With a year-round calendar of world class events, concerts and initiatives, Dubai has become an iconic must-visit destination on the world map. The city attracts visitors from across the world thanks to its international events including Dubai Summer Surprises, Art Dubai, Dubai Design Week, SIKKA Art Fair, Dubai Fitness Challenge, Dubai Rugby Sevens and Dubai Marathon.

Expo 2020 Dubai promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience – a global six-month celebration of creativity, innovation, humanity and world cultures. It is expected to attract over 25 million visitors from over 192 countries that have confirmed their participation³.