Dubai is showing strong performance across all key performance indicators, including the number of international tourists, booked nights, average daily rate, and revenue per available room. According to Carlton Hotels' CEO Husny Abdelhadi, tourism in Dubai is no longer tied to specific seasons, as the emirate has become a global destination attracting visitors year-round, including the summer months of June to August. This performance reinforces the continuous growth in the number of international tourists, making Dubai one of the top three most visited cities in recent years. Dubai offers a diverse tourist experience that combines entertainment, shopping, culture, and relaxation, alongside major events held throughout the year, such as 'Dubai Summer Surprises' and the 'Dubai Food Festival'. These events contribute to boosting domestic economic activity and revitalizing the hospitality, retail, and entertainment sectors. Abdelhadi noted that marketing campaigns and summer offers organized by entities like the Department of Economy and Tourism and airlines are helping to attract an increasing number of visitors during the summer months. High-quality infrastructure, an advanced transport network, and Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international passengers, all support a comprehensive and comfortable tourist experience. Hotels maintained high occupancy rates in many tourist areas, driven by attractive summer offers and major entertainment events. Dubai relies on the diversity of its internal tourist experiences to attract visitors during the summer, providing an ideal environment for enjoying indoor, air-conditioned activities suitable for all ages and groups. Hospitality establishments launched several offers covering accommodation prices, food and beverage, and entertainment services throughout the summer months. It is worth noting that Dubai received a total of 12.54 million international tourists in the first eight months of the current year, compared to 11.93 million tourists in the same period of 2024, marking a growth of about 5% and a record figure for this period. Hotel revenues reached 12 billion dirhams. Revenues generated by hotel rooms in Dubai reached approximately 12 billion dirhams in the first eight months of the current year, compared to 10.66 billion dirhams in the same period last year, a growth rate of about 12.5%, according to data from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. Revenues were calculated based on the number of occupied hotel rooms at the end of the comparison period, the average daily rate per available room, and on a daily basis. Cavendish Maxwell, a real estate consultancy firm, forecasts that the number of international tourists in Dubai will reach around 19.5 million by the end of the current year, a record figure. The firm notes that the emirate is preparing for a strong travel season in the fourth quarter coinciding with holidays and events. In a study coinciding with the Global Hospitality Summit, the firm reported that Dubai's hotel market continued its strong performance in the first eight months of 2025, driven by increased traveler and international visitor numbers, along with continued growth in hotel occupancy rates and average daily rates. The firm explained that factors such as ease of access, variety of offerings, a vibrant events calendar, as well as government initiatives and new attractions, have enhanced Dubai's appeal and solidified its position on the global tourism map. The firm also anticipates an increase in average daily hotel room rates, driven by rising leisure and business demand and an expansion in the luxury hotel supply in the fourth quarter of the current year. The firm noted that Dubai's hotel capacity increased to around 152,300 rooms across 818 hotels in the first eight months of 2025, with an increase in occupancy rates and average daily room rates compared to the same period last year. The firm reported that the luxury hotel segment accounted for the largest share of the supply, with 54,100 rooms in the five-star category and 43,400 rooms in the four-star category, together making up about two-thirds (64%) of the emirate's total hotel inventory. The firm confirmed that Dubai's hospitality market has shown strong performance since the beginning of the current year with increased traveler numbers, international visitors, occupancy rates, and average daily rates compared to the same period last year. The firm stated that the country's airports continue to show strong performance indicators, adding that despite some temporary airspace restrictions, Dubai International Airport set a record for the busiest half-year in its history according to the first half of the current year's international traffic results, receiving around 46 million international passengers. The firm indicated that in the first eight months of 2025, Western Europe remained the largest source market for international tourists to Dubai, accounting for (21%) of the total number of international tourists to the emirate with a year-over-year growth exceeding 12%. Cavendish Maxwell forecasts an increase in average daily hotel room rates, driven by rising leisure and business demand. The significant increase in revenues of hotel establishments operating in Dubai is attributed to the increase in the average revenue per room, as well as the significant growth in the size of the hotel market compared to last year's levels. The length of stay for guests in Dubai hotels at the end of last August was 3.6 nights, compared to 3.6 nights in the same period in 2024, while the number of nights (rooms booked) reached about 29 million, compared to about 27.8 million nights during the comparison period, a growth rate of about 4%. The average revenue per available room reached 413 dirhams at the end of last August, compared to 384 dirhams in the same period last year, a growth rate of about 8%. Dubai received 12.54 million international tourists in the first eight months of 2025, a growth of 5%. Dubai received more than 3.86 million international tourists at the peak of the summer season of 2025 between June and August, with a rate reaching more than 1.28 million visitors monthly, and about 43,000 tourists daily, according to the latest data from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, which 'Emirates Today' obtained a copy of. The number of international tourists to Dubai increased from 8.68 million tourists at the end of May to 12.54 million at the end of August, while the hotel market continued to achieve strong gains in tourist flow to the emirate in the current year compared to last year's levels. The data indicated that Dubai continues to enhance its position as a prominent summer destination compared to last year's levels only.
