Dubai attracted 8.68 million international tourists during the first five months of 2025, marking a 7 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024, which recorded 8.12 million visitors.
According to the Tourism Performance Report January – May 2025, released by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the city welcomed 1.53 million international visitors in May alone. This growth builds on the 18.72 million people who visited in 2024, the second consecutive year of record-setting growth for the city.
Western Europe leads growth in Dubai’s tourist numbers
Western Europe led the list of source markets, accounting for 22 percent of total visitors to Dubai, approximately 1.917 million tourists. Following closely were Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, and Eastern Europe, contributing 1.396 million visitors, or 16 percent.
South Asia ranked third with 1.242 million tourists, while the GCC region followed with 1.275 million visitors, representing 15 percent of the total number of visitors Dubai welcomed. Meanwhile, the Middle East and North Africa came fifth with 989,000 visitors, followed by Northeast and Southeast Asia, which contributed 771,000 tourists.
The Americas accounted for 601,000 visitors, while Africa brought in 346,000 tourists. Finally, Australia contributed 141,000 visitors, representing about 2 percent of Dubai’s total international arrivals during the period.
Read: Dubai welcomes 7.15 million tourists in first four months of 2025, up 7 percentÂ
Dubai’s hotels see rise in occupancy
By the end of May 2025, Dubai’s hotel sector comprised 825 establishments offering 153,356 rooms, compared to 822 hotels with 150,202 rooms at the end of May 2024. Average hotel occupancy during the first five months of 2025 stood at 83 percent, up from 81 percent during the same period last year.
Meanwhile, the total number of occupied room nights reached 19.09 million, an increase of 4 percent from the 18.34 million recorded during the same period in 2024. Tourists stayed an average of 3.8 nights per visit in Dubai. The average daily room rate rose to AED620, marking a 5 percent increase compared to AED590 in 2024.
Meanwhile, revenue per available room saw a 7 percent boost, reaching AED513 compared to AED478 in the same period last year.
In 2024, Dubai welcomed 18.72 million international overnight visitors from January to December 2024, a 9 percent year-over-year increase that surpasses the previous record of 17.15 million in 2023, according to data from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).
Hotels contributed significantly to the city’s performance, with the steady growth in inventory balancing the respective demands of both guests and hospitality stakeholders. Dubai’s hotel inventory at the end of December 2024 comprised 154,016 total available rooms across 832 establishments, compared to 150,291 rooms at 821 establishments in 2023.
Reflecting the hospitality sector’s commitment to catering to all budgets and preferences, the Average Daily Rate (ADR) of AED538 only rose marginally against the ADR of AED536 in 2023. Meanwhile, the Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) of AED421 in 2024 was a 2 percent increase on the AED415 the previous year.
