By Maria Diamond

Determined by the quality and quantity of independent destination reviews and ratings from travellers across accommodation, restaurants and activities over 12 months from November 1, 2020, and October 31, 2021, the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2022 has ranked Dubai as number one (#1) global destination. This has given the city a milestone moment in the New Year, as well as bolsters its drive to achieve the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the most visited destination and the best city to live and work in. Dubai was voted Number-1 on the global list of Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards for Best Global Destination, the world’s Number-1 destination for city lovers, and Number-4 destination for ‘Food Lovers’. Winning the three accolades is a significant achievement for Dubai.

Remarking on the awards, His Excellency, Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said: “Inspired by the visionary leadership of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the city adopted a multi-pronged strategy to deal with the pandemic including a series of initiatives that further enhanced our global competitiveness and attractiveness as a multi-faceted destination. It is truly a proud moment for Dubai to be endorsed as the top global destination, reaffirming the decisive yet prudent measures taken by Dubai to safely navigate and accelerate out of this unprecedented global challenge.” He further said: “This achievement is also testament to the dynamism, resilience and accessibility of Dubai and how we continue to successfully provide moments of delight to residents and visitors, and overall, delivering the highest standards of service and best guest experience across all tourism touch points right from their arrival in the city and until they depart. “It also points to the growing collaboration between the Department of Economy and Tourism and its stakeholders and partners, both domestic and international, to position Dubai as a global hub for business and leisure, as well as building on its credentials as an international events destination with the success of Expo 2020 Dubai and the UAE’s Golden Jubilee celebrations.” As one of the first destinations in the world to close, then open and has remained open, Dubai’s effective management of the pandemic and early initiative to lead the global tourism recovery restored travel confidence and positioned the city as one of the safest destinations. The constant dialogue and cooperation between DET and stakeholders ensured that the ecosystem was aligned in collectively promoting Dubai as a must-visit destination, highlighting the diverse destination proposition and reinforcing the message that the city is open and safe for domestic and global travelers. Dubai also launched initiatives to ease barriers to entry for business and leisure travelers, as well as long-term residency initiatives that offer pathways for deeper engagement and longevity with Dubai. These include the new visas and programmes such as Golden Visa targeting investors, entrepreneurs and specialised talents, the Five-Year Multi-Entry Visa for employees of multinational companies, and the Virtual working and Retire in Dubai Programmes.

CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), Issam Kazim, said: “Dubai’s ability to evolve and adapt, and focus on a diversified approach to international markets have been critical in ensuring that the city continues to retain its position as the leading business and leisure destination and global liveability hub as envisioned by our visionary leadership. In winning this coveted award, we appreciate the support extended by our stakeholders and partners across the board, for shining a light on the diversity of our offering, and representing the city so well during these challenging times. We have a positive outlook for 2022 and beyond, as we continue to prioritise efforts to strengthen the collaborative ecosystem and amplify tourism volumes through global campaigns designed to showcase the city as the perfect getaway for travelers from all demographics and segments.” Tourism growth in Dubai is gathering pace supported by a robust domestic market and growing confidence within the industry and among travelers, especially with the rollout of vaccinations and booster programmes around the world. According to the latest data published by DET, Dubai welcomed over six million international visitors between January and November 2021, which surpasses the 5.5 million tourists who visited Dubai for the entire 2020. During this 11-month period, 743 hotel establishments with over 136,000 rooms also opened their doors to guests, delivering strong occupancy levels of over 60 per cent, which is among the highest occupancy rates internationally. Expo 2020 Dubai has also made a major contribution towards creating awareness of Dubai and drawing more visitors to the city. Since opening on October 1, 2020, Expo 2020 has attracted over 10 million visits by residents and global travelers.