Dubai welcomes record-smashing 19.59M visitors in 2025 – DET

UAE – The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has announced a fantastic achievement, welcoming a record 19.59 million international overnight visitors in 2025.

This marks a solid 5% year-on-year increase and an impressive third consecutive year of historic growth. Adding an extra sparkle, the city also celebrated a new monthly milestone, hosting over 2 million guests in December 2025 for the very first time.

A World of Visitors: Diverse Markets Fuel the Boom

The impressive growth was powered by a brilliantly diverse mix of travelers from across the globe. Western Europe remained the top source, sending 4.1 million visitors (21% of the total).

Close to home, the combined GCC and MENA markets contributed a strong 26% share.

Significant numbers also arrived from CIS/Eastern Europe and South Asia, each making up a 15% share. This global influx kept Dubai’s hospitality sector buzzing, with the city’s hotel inventory now at 154,264 rooms across 827 hotels, achieving a stellar average occupancy rate of 80.7%.

Strong Performance and Celebrated Accolades

All these visitors translated into excellent results for Dubai’s hotels. Key performance metrics saw healthy jumps: the Average Daily Rate (ADR) grew by 8% to AED 579 (US$157.60), and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) increased by 11% to AED 467 US$127.10).

The DET credits this success to strategic global partnerships, exciting marketing campaigns, and a packed calendar of world-class events.

The city’s reputation was further polished by major international awards, with three Dubai hotels ranked in The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025 and two of its restaurants celebrated in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

Setting the Stage for a Sustainable and Dynamic Future

This record-breaking performance perfectly supports the ambitious goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.

The DET highlighted ongoing progress in key sustainability programs like the Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) Stamp and the Dubai Can refill initiative.

Looking forward, the future is bright, with massive infrastructure projects like the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport and the new Dubai Metro Blue Line set to keep Dubai at the forefront as a premier global destination for business and leisure travelers alike.

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