Dubai Attracts 8.68 Million International Tourists In First Five Months Of 2025

Dubai welcomed 8.68 million international tourists from January to May 2025, reflecting a 7% rise compared to the same timeframe in 2024, which saw 8.12 million visitors. The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) released the Tourism Performance Report for January - May 2025, highlighting that the city received 1.53 million international visitors in May alone.

Western Europe emerged as the leading source market, contributing 22% of total visitors, equating to approximately 1.917 million tourists. Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Eastern Europe followed closely with a combined total of 1.396 million visitors, representing 16%. South Asia ranked third with 1.242 million tourists, accounting for 14%.

The GCC region contributed significantly with 1.275 million visitors, making up 15% of the total arrivals. The Middle East and North Africa brought in 989,000 visitors, representing an 11% share. Meanwhile, Northeast and Southeast Asia accounted for 771,000 tourists or about 9% of the total.

By the end of May 2025, Dubai's hotel sector had expanded to include 825 establishments offering a total of 153,356 rooms. This marks an increase from May 2024 when there were 822 hotels providing 150,202 rooms. The average hotel occupancy rate rose to 83%, up from last year's figure of 81% during the same period.

The Americas contributed around 601,000 visitors or about 7%, while Africa brought in approximately 346,000 tourists (4%). Australia added another dimension with its contribution of around 141,000 visitors, making up about 2% of Dubai's overall international arrivals during this period.

Hotel Revenue and Occupancy Rates

The total number of occupied room nights reached an impressive figure of 19.09 million during these five months in comparison to last year's count of 18.34 million room nights—a growth rate of about four percent over this period last year.

Guests stayed on average for about three nights per visit during this time frame. The average daily room rate increased by five percent reaching AED620 compared to AED590 last year; revenue per available room also saw a seven percent boost reaching AED513 compared with AED478 previously recorded.

This data underscores Dubai's continued appeal as a global tourist destination with significant contributions from various regions worldwide enhancing its diverse tourism landscape further solidifying its position on the world stage.

With inputs from WAM