Dubai Breaks Tourism Record with 19.59 Million International Visitors in 2025

Dubai welcomed 19.59 million international overnight visitors in 2025, marking a 5 percent year-on-year increase and extending the emirate's record-breaking tourism performance into a third consecutive year, according to data released by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. Average hotel occupancy reached 80.7 percent, up from 78.2 percent in 2024, reflecting strong demand throughout the year. Occupied hotel room nights rose 4 percent to 44.85 million, supported by a total hotel inventory of 154,264 rooms across 827 establishments. Dubai closed the year with more than two million international visitors in a single month for the first time, welcoming 2.04 million visitors in December alone. Western Europe remained Dubai's largest source market, accounting for 4.1 million visitors (21% of total arrivals), followed by CIS and Eastern Europe (2.89 million), South Asia (2.89 million), and GCC countries (2.99 million). Dubai's hotel sector continued to expand, with average daily room rates increasing to Dh579, up 8 percent from 2024, while revenue per available room (RevPAR) rose 11 percent to Dh467. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum noted that the performance reinforces Dubai's position as a year-round destination and supports the Dubai Economic Agenda D33's goal to rank among the world's top 3 tourism hubs. The strong 2025 performance creates significant momentum heading into 2026, as Dubai continues to invest in capacity, digital innovation, and sustainable tourism initiatives.