Dubai positions as travel destination to drive visitor growth

A change in strategy to position Dubai as a travel destination is driving a surge in visitors to the United Arab Emirates city.

The sail-shaped Jumeirah Burj Al Arab hotel is a Dubai icon.

A strategy to reposition Dubai as a travel destination, rather than a transit city, has delivered a surge in visitors resulting in record travellers staying longer in the city.

In the first quarter of 2024, 5.18 million visitors arrived in Dubai, an 11 per cent increase on the same period in 2023.

Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET) regional director of international operations Shahab Shayan said the latest numbers followed a record year in 2023 when 17.5 million visitors arrived, representing a 19.4 per cent ­increase year-on-year and a significant jump on the pre-Covid high of 16.73 million in 2019.

Speaking exclusively to The Growth Agenda while in Sydney, Mr Shayan said the numbers represented a culmination of a strategy, which also saw the development of more affordably priced hotel options, and marketing activity which aimed to raise awareness of the various attractions in the city, beyond the ­resorts.

“Dubai was, in the public’s eyes, a luxury five-star destination, your Atlantis, your Jumeirah. But now we have a lot more breadth on the three-star and four-star hotels to position Dubai more competitively in the landscape,” he said.

The campaigns also revealed the natural and cultural experiences that international audiences were less aware of, such as Hatta, a secluded area that is 45 minutes from the city’s high rises.

“The idea was to showcase Dubai differently, such as about Hatta, which is a very mountainous area, that provides a different outlook of Dubai, away from the city life. It has places you could go canoeing, hiking, riding bicycles. There’s pilates, yoga, and a beehive where you can get organic honey.

“All of which people wouldn’t really think of when you think Dubai. I think it really sets the tone about showcasing different sides of Dubai and a different Dubai, which people are not used to and familiar with.”

Mr Shayan said the strategy specifically targeted Australians, due to its partnership with Emirates airline and the large number of travellers that take long-haul flights that travel via the city en route to other destinations.

“Australia is our biggest stopover market,” said Mr Shayan. “A lot of people fly with Emirates and go via Dubai, but don’t really know or understand if it is a stopover destination.”

Dubai Tourism is promoting new experiences in Dubai such as outdoor activities in Hatta.

To counter this, DET launched a digital content campaign which aimed to generate greater awareness of the variety of experiences that visitors could access in the city.

Working in partnership with travel brand Kayak and a selection of micro-influencers, DET identified three key audience segments; women, couples and families and showcased what a Dubai holiday would “look like for each of those segments”.

“These campaigns play that role of education, awareness, and lead toward more of a decision making process where people go, ‘OK, I’m willing to try it’, and there’s a lot more curiosity,” Mr Shayan said.

“A good indication is we saw Australians actually spend an extra day in Dubai. The average was around 3.5 days and we ended up with 4.5 days in 2023. That really is an excellent indication showcasing that people are understanding the destination, are willing to try, and that we are positioned in that right space.”

In the last year, Dubai welcomed 260,000 visitors from Australia, however, Mr Shayan said the Q1 figures for 2024 revealed a 4 per cent increase on Q1 2023, indicating the likelihood of another year of growth. Australasia represents just 1 per cent of these travellers, with the majority of tourists coming from India, Russia and Europe, however, Dubai is recording increases from all of its key markets.

Tourism accounted for 3.3 per cent of Dubai’s GDP in Q1 2024 and it “plays a pivotal part in Dubai’s economy”, said Mr Shayan. Boosting tourism is a key element of the Dubai Economic Agenda or D33, which aims to increase the city’s GDP and ensure it is positioned as one of the leading cities globally for business and ­leisure. In line with this, Dubai has introduced new visas to entice people to live in the city, including a new sustainability visa which aims to recruit sustainability talent to live and work in Dubai.

Mr Shayan said sustainability initiatives such as the Dubai Reef, a floating marine restoration project that serves as a living lab for eco-tourism and aims to generate more than 30,000 green jobs for the city, are key examples of the creative approach the city is taking to driving growth.

“Overall, everything comes back to the strategy of making Dubai one of the top cities to work, live and visit. And if you look at the history of Dubai, it’s never been the same. Every six months there’s something to look forward to as there are always things happening. That’s the intention of the city ­itself, to be ever-evolving and ever- changing,” said Mr Shayan.