At the 32nd edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) will showcase how building connections with the global travel trade community continues to result in impressive results across the city’s tourism and hospitality sectors. DET’s headline participation in the event, as Destination Partner, comes amid continued robust tourism growth for the city, guided by the city’s visionary leadership and contributing towards achieving the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.
Following back-to-back record-breaking years in 2023 and 2024, Dubai welcomed 5.31 million international visitors from January to March 2025, a 3% YoY increase compared to the same period in 2024, according to new data published by DET. The robust growth demonstrated the city’s continued global appeal, building on the overall 9% growth in 2024 to 18.72 million international overnight visitors, and putting Dubai on course to set new benchmarks following consecutive record years.
His Excellency Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), part of DET, said: “Consolidating the growth registered in back-to-back record years and solidifying Dubai’s ascent as a global tourism leader, the robust performance of the city’s tourism sector in the first quarter of 2025 is a testament to the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the commitment of all stakeholders across the tourism ecosystem. The sustained growth of the tourism sector, which will come into focus at ATM, continues to be vital not only through its direct economic impact, but as a pathway to investment, talent and businesses into the city. Building on this momentum, and strategically aligned with the long-term objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, we will work to achieve our goals through a multi-pronged approach and by enhancing global visibility with dynamic marketing campaigns, as well as by strengthening collaborations with key domestic stakeholders and international partners. As we look ahead, we remain committed to making Dubai the world’s best city to visit, live, and work in – a vision that will guide us through 2025 and beyond.”
Taking place from 28 April to 1 May at Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM is this year being held under the theme of ‘Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity’, and DET will be joined on the Dubai stand (ME1120/ME1150) by over 125 key local partners and representatives from government entities, including the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA-Dubai), Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Culture, Dubai Holding, Dubai Health, and more, as well as hotels, destination management companies, tour operators and attractions. DET will once again organise its ATM Hosted Buyers Programme, promoting Dubai’s unparalleled hospitality and offerings to over 300 international travel trade professionals from 39 different markets, who promote and sell Dubai packages and products globally.
Aligned with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, to double the size of Dubai’s economy by 2033 and to further consolidate its position as a leading global destination for business and leisure, building connections and collaborating with the global travel trade have been a key factor in Dubai’s tourism growth strategy. In Q1 2025, DET continued to forge strategic partnerships with industry leaders including travel technology giant Amadeus and hospitality groups Premier Inn Middle East and Hyatt Hotels, building on previously-signed agreements with other hotel groups, while the Dubai College of Tourism, part of DET, has collaborated with Marriott International to launch a new Hospitality Apprenticeship Programme for Emiratis. This last initiative aligns with the D33 strategy to integrate 65,000 young Emiratis into the private sector.
Growth across regions and hospitality metrics
Dubai’s diversified approach, built on bespoke strategies and activities in more than 80 markets, helped maintain its position as a first-choice travel destination for visitors both from key traditional and emerging markets. From January to March 2025, the Western Europe region was Dubai’s biggest source market with 1.15 million visitors, a 22% overall share, followed by CIS and Eastern Europe with 891,000 (17%) and GCC with 772,000 visitors (15%). South Asia and MENA were fourth and fifth, accounting for 752,000 (14%) and 620,000 (12%) visitors respectively. The North-East Asia and South-East Asia region recorded 474,000 visitors to Dubai (a 9% share), followed by the Americas 374,000 (7%), Africa 197,000 (4%) and Australasia 78,000 (1%).
Dubai’s hospitality sector continued to register a strong performance, reflecting the strategic approach taken towards hotel development in the emirate. During the period, the Average Daily Rate (ADR) rose 2% year-on-year to AED 647, balancing returns for investors with value for guests, while occupied room nights at 11.19 million, and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) at AED528, were in line with the corresponding results delivered in 2024.
Tourism and hospitality continue to be key drivers for Dubai’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth, with the accommodation and food services sector achieving a 3.7% increase in the first nine months of 2024, reaching a value of AED11.5 billion. These sectors have also played a pivotal role in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to the emirate. In 2024, Dubai was ranked as the world’s top destination for attracting Greenfield FDI projects for a fourth successive year, with the city No.1 globally in the food and beverages (F&B) and tourism sectors.
His Excellency Issam Kazim added: “By working closely with stakeholders within Dubai and our global partners, we are not only enhancing the visitor experience, but also driving economic growth as well as innovation and entrepreneurship in the sector. Working with our partners, our marketing strategy continues to evolve to reach highly targeted audiences, and the city is consistently registering strong growth to maintain our upward trajectory. Looking forward, we are focused on further accelerating momentum across our key markets and leveraging the significant potential of emerging markets. We also remain committed to providing exceptional quality, accessibility, and diversity in our tourism offerings, as we continue to deliver unparalleled experiences to all visitors.”
Key highlights in Q1 2025
Alongside the launch of new strategic partnerships, there were a number of milestones in the first quarter of the year that contributed to Dubai’s tourism growth. Part of efforts to elevate sustainability standards in Dubai’s hospitality sector, DET’s Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) drive saw 153 hotels awarded with the DST Stamp, which recognises hotels that achieve the highest level of compliance with DET’s ‘19 Sustainability Requirements’. Announced in February 2025, the second cycle of the initiative had a 118% increase in establishments awarded, compared to 70 hotels in last year’s inaugural edition.
Impactful global marketing continues to be a vital driver of increased visitation to the city, and a new campaign, ‘Find Your Story’, was launched by DET in April. Starring Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi, the captivating brand film showcases the exciting adventures that travellers can enjoy in the city, even during a brief stopover, and highlights Dubai’s desert landscapes and futuristic architecture.
With a year-round calendar of leisure and business events, Dubai also underlined its standing as a top choice for international conferences, with the hosting of key sector exhibitions such as Gulfood and Arab Health. In Q1, the city also hosted cultural festivals for Ramadan and Eid, plus major sporting events like the Hero Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament, Dubai World Cup horse race and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Hosted buyers and interactive games
Through its ATM Hosted Buyers Programme, DET will not only provide international travel trade professionals with the opportunity to engage with stakeholders on the Dubai stand, but will also allow them to explore the wider city through a curated itinerary mixing well-established, iconic offerings with some of the newer openings. Also returning to the Dubai stand this year is the ‘Dubai, Always’ game, part of DET’s engagement strategy, which will showcase the city’s entertainment offering in an interactive way. Visitors will be invited to play the game on-site, where they’ll need to identify experiences that pop up on a Dubai map and match them correctly. The faster they are, the higher their score will be, increasing their chances of reaching the top of the leaderboard. Each day at ATM, the top two players on the leaderboard will win a two-night stay for two guests at Atlantis, The Palm. In addition, DET will also be giving out tickets to House of Hype and AYA Universe to 10 winners daily.
Visit the Dubai Stand (ME1120/ME1150) at Arabian Travel Market 2025
