Apr 19 2024
Dubai ranked as the No.1 global destination in Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2023
Thu 19 Jan 2023
Hamdan bin Mohammed: The latest recognition reflects the Dubai Economic Agenda D33’s objective of consolidating Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top three cities for tourism and business
Crown Prince: Top ranking supports Dubai leadership’s efforts to mark the city out as a clear leader not only as a leisure and lifestyle destination but also as a hub for connectivity, commerce and investment
Dubai: Dubai has been crowned the No.1 global destination in the TripadvisorⓇ Travellers’ Choice Awards for a second successive year, consolidating its position as the world’s favourite tourist destination. The recognition supports the goal of the recently launched Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top three destinations for tourism and business.
Dubai’s top international ranking was announced by TripadvisorⓇ, the world’s largest travel guidance platform, at its annual Travellers’ ChoiceⓇ Best of the Best Destination Awards 2023. The back-to-back global seals of approval underscore the significant efforts to bolster the city’s vibrant economy and tourism ecosystem as it seeks to deliver the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the world’s most visited and liveable city.
Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award winners are uniquely chosen by millions of travellers from around the world, who provide their real and unbiased reviews or opinions on destinations, activities and experiences. The quality and quantity of independent destination reviews and ratings from travellers covered a period of 12 months from 1 November 2021 to 31 October 2022.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai commented, “The top ranking by global travellers reflects the vision of the leadership to transform Dubai into the world’s top destination for tourism and business, as embodied by a key goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. The Agenda’s objective of consolidating Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top three cities for tourism and business signifies the leadership’s determination to mark Dubai out as a clear leader not only as a leisure and lifestyle destination but also as a hub for connectivity, commerce and investment. Dubai’s diverse tourism attractions and hospitality offerings, combined with its emergence as a leading venue for global events and a magnet for talent and enterprise will continue to reinforce its status as a favourite among global travellers over the next decade. Dubai’s tourism, hospitality and events sectors have been at the forefront of a rebound and acceleration of global growth in these sectors over the last two years and will continue to play a key role in shaping their evolution in the future.”
His Excellency, Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said, “Being named the No.1 global destination for a second consecutive year reflects the significant work undertaken by the city’s many stakeholders, our strong public private partnership model, and Dubai’s global network of partners – all of which are aligned towards the guiding vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the city of the future and the world’s best destination to visit, live and work.
“Tourism is a central pillar of Dubai’s economic growth and diversification, and the continual investment in our product offering, a frictionless and superlative guest experience and the development of the sector and those working in it, will not only serve to further accelerate industry growth but critically, will have a significant multiplier impact on many other elements of Dubai’s economic landscape and global appeal to businesses and talent.
“We also see this sector’s growth providing many opportunities for national talents to enter the industry and we will continue to provide an educational and training framework for their development as well as the wider industry’s continued advancement,” His Excellency Helal Almarri added.
The top Tripadvisor award is the latest addition to a series of international accolades bestowed on Dubai, demonstrating the city’s enduring appeal as a multifaceted destination. With more than 13,000 restaurants and cafes spread across the city, offering diverse cuisines for foodies and families, Dubai continued to win international recognition as a global gastronomy hub including the launch of the MICHELIN Guide Dubai and the arrival of renowned fine-dining restaurant critique guide Gault&Millau in 2022. Several of Dubai’s restaurants, chefs and gourmet experiences were also recognised in the inaugural edition of the Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2022.
His Excellency Issam Kazim, CEO, of Dubai Corporation for Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said: “Inspired by our visionary leadership, Dubai continues to take significant steps to ensure it remains at the forefront of global tourism and this award only seeks to motivate us further and drive us to work harder to stay ahead in the coming years.
“Retaining our position as the No. 1 destination in the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards is just a reward for the efforts to continuously innovate and adapt to the evolving nature of travel, build out exceptional guest experiences at every touchpoint and effectively tailor Dubai’s offering for different needs and segments. As a city that is always on the move, Dubai’s charm is its unique ability to surprise and delight both new and repeat visitors with its ever-growing diverse offering while keeping its authenticity and traditions intact. We have successfully taken these messages to the world by bringing the destination to life through a series of global campaigns with the support of over 3,000 partners worldwide, providing international audiences an exciting insight into the city’s most iconic landmarks such as the Museum of the Future and unique hidden locations. Our focus for 2023 and beyond will be to drive and support growth through this mosaic of experiences, across all our tourism pillars from entertainment to shopping and culture to culinary experiences.”
As one of the most sought-after cities for international travel, business and events, Dubai’s significant resurgence throughout 2022 was further spurred by Expo 2020 Dubai with the hugely successful global event attracting over 24 million visits by the time it concluded on 31 March 2022. In addition, Dubai’s annual calendar of festivals, leisure, sporting and business events including the Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai Food Festival, Gulfood, the Dubai World Cup, World Government Summit, GITEX Technology Week, Dubai Desert Classic, Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship, Dubai International Boat Show and the Arabian Travel Market, to name a few, spurred a significant growth in tourism.
As it keeps pace with the rapidly evolving global tourism landscape Dubai is constantly introducing regulatory, infrastructure and travel initiatives to attract even more visitors from around the world. Dubai’s tourism momentum has continued to quicken, thanks also to the support extended by both domestic and international partners in showcasing the city as a destination that is safe, open and accessible. According to the latest data published by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai welcomed 12.82 million international overnight visitors between January and November 2022, which surpasses the 6.02 million tourists that Dubai attracted in the corresponding period in 2021. During this 11-month period, 794 hotel establishments with over 145,098 rooms also opened their doors to guests, delivering strong occupancy levels of 73 per cent, which is among the highest occupancy rates internationally.
Several industry stakeholders had to say this following the announcement.
Mark Kirby, Head of Emaar Hospitality Group said, “Following the vision of Dubai and the overall region, last year has been another success story for the hospitality industry. Dubai has continued to maintain its touristic appeal with mega-events like Expo 2020 Dubai that have played a pivotal role in accelerating tourism in the region, and we have seen high occupancy levels and more demand for global travellers. Emaar hospitality brands have aligned their strategies and initiatives for new hotel openings here in Dubai in the spirit of these extraordinary times in the region. We look forward to catering to new industry trends and demands as we go forward with further extension and growth of our brands across the region.”
Jochem-Jan Sleiffer, President, Middle East, Africa & Türkiye, Hilton, said, “It is fantastic that Dubai has once again been named the number one global destination by Tripadvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards. Dubai continues to capture the imagination of travellers the world over, with awe-inspiring new attractions such as the Museum of the Future, exceptional dining experiences recognised by the Michelin Guide, and outstanding hotels including Hilton’s latest opening on the iconic Palm Jumeirah. Dubai has something for everyone and Hilton is proud to be part of this truly remarkable success story for global tourism.”
Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates Airlines said, “Dubai’s achievement as Tripadvisor’s most popular destination in the world for the second consecutive year is a testament to the city’s enduring appeal. Today, travellers have a myriad of destination choices with many countries opening for tourism, and they still chose Dubai for the compelling experiences and diverse attractions it offers. Emirates is proud to have contributed to this achievement by continuing to build up our network to almost 140 cities in 2022, expanding choice and connectivity for travellers and opening up more inbound tourism and business opportunities to Dubai from around our network. We’ve also been promoting and showcasing our home city in global marketing campaigns, and international and industry events to new audiences, helping to make it the top choice for all types of travellers. In 2023, we’ll continue to collaborate closely with our partners at DET and others to build on the city’s strong credentials and maintain Dubai’s status as a must-visit global destination.”
Haitham Mattar, Managing Director, IMEA, IHG Hotels & Resorts said, “We are happy and proud to see that Dubai has received the No.1 global destination accolade for a second successive year at the Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Awards 2023. It is a well-deserved recognition given the phenomenal efforts of Dubai’s Economy and Tourism, bringing world-class events such as Dubai Expo and leisure attractions such as Art Dubai, and Dubai Shopping Festival to residents and tourists alike. Through these efforts, we have seen occupancies exceed 80% and ADRs exceed 2019 levels by 20% in 2022 with continued success forecasted for Q1 2023, across our IHG hotels in Dubai. As a result of high occupancies, we are seeing heightened investor confidence with increasing interest in Luxury and lifestyle hotels. We look forward to expanding our footprint with new brand debuts and a range of stay experiences to accommodate the new segments visiting the city over the next few years.”
Sandeep Walia, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East, Marriott International said, “The ranking of Dubai as the number one global destination for the second successive year is yet another incredible milestone for Dubai and its tourism sector. This destination continues to evolve as an international business and leisure hub due to its ability to adapt to change, its strong spirit of creativity and innovation, and how it consistently turns challenges into opportunities. The credit for the success of the destination goes to the visionary Leaders of Dubai and the Department of Economy and Tourism who remain focused on enhancing the city’s tourism competitiveness and creating a very cohesive and collaborative business environment with organisations across the industry. Dubai remains an incredibly important market for Marriott International and we are extremely proud to be a part of this destination’s incredible journey.”
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