Dubai’s Summer of Tourism Was Red-Hot as Russians Fill the City
Photo Caption: Dubai Tourism
Skift Take
Dubai's tourism bull run continues. Rates are at some of their highest levels, the city has more than 800 hotels, and close to 10 million travelers have flown in to bear witness. Neighbor Qatar, sitting on its supply of lush World Cup hotels, is probably feeling jealous.
Middle East Travel Roundup
Get the latest news from the Middle East in one easy-to-digest newsletter.Dubai continues to pull ahead of its pre-pandemic tourism numbers. The emirate drew in 9.8 million international travelers up to July this year, according to the latest data from Dubai Tourism. For the same period in 2019, Dubai had 9.6 million international visitors, and in 2022, welcomed 8.1 million up to that point.
The data displays all the typical flocks coming into the city – India up to July 2023 accounted for 1.4 million travelers, the city’s perennial largest tourism driver. Russia also remained comfortable in the second spot, with 673,000 travelers coming from the country since July.
Travel from Russia has boomed in Dubai, increasing 93% from a year earlier, with many Russians – the wealthy ones at least – settling in Dubai amid conflict in their own country.
Average daily rates in the city’s 800-plus hotels were 508 dirhams (approximately $138), 20% higher than July 2019’s 422 dirhams (approx. $114).
While a million
