Dubai welcomes over 1million visitors from Oman in 2016

26 April 2017

Dubai, UAE – The Annual Visitor Report 2016 released by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) during this year’s Arabian Travel Market reveals the emirate welcomed over a million overnight visitors from Oman. This marks a 3 per cent increase compared to 2015 and reaffirms Dubai’s popularity among Omani travellers.

Oman’s sizeable contribution to the 14.9 million overnight visitors to Dubai last year places it in fourth spot among the emirate’s top 10 source markets, with India (1.8 million), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (1.6 million) and the United Kingdom (1.2 million) leading the list.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) remained the number one volume generator for tourism to Dubai, delivering the highest share of visitor volumes for 2016 with a total of 3.4 million, up 5 per cent over 2015. Saudi Arabia contributed the highest number of travellers among the GCC countries, followed by Oman, with Kuwait in third place and Qatar in fourth, both retaining their top 20 status and registering an annual growth of 2 and 9 per cent respectively.

Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, commented: “The rising popularity of Dubai as a destination of choice reflects our relentless investments in building a vibrant tourism offering for visitors from across the region and beyond, as well as our concerted efforts to promote our Arabian heritage. In many ways, Dubai represents a ‘home-from-home’ experience for our neighbours, making both an extended holiday and quick getaway an attractive travel proposition. A short flight from their home country opens up unique experiences for our guests from the GCC – who are made up of large families with children, young couples, business visitors, solo travellers and adventure-seekers.

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“Our performance in 2016 underscores the resilience of Dubai’s tourism sector and its ability to navigate multiple global headwinds as we remain the fourth most visited city in the world. Our world-class infrastructure and transportation system, incredible shopping and entertainment attractions, range of leisure and recreational experiences, unrivalled hospitality portfolio comprising international and home-grown brands, and our shared cultural heritage continue to drive visitation from the region and surpass forecasts for the global tourism industry.”

Dubai’s performance last year reflects not only the success of the emirate’s outward-facing measures, but also the in-country proposition enhancement, ranging from new attractions and offerings across entertainment and culture, to the 5 per cent increase in room supply as Dubai crossed the 100,000-mark reaching a tally of 102,845 rooms at the end of 2016. New additions to the destination portfolio include the openings of IMG Worlds of Adventure, the world’s largest indoor theme park, and Dubai Parks and Resorts, the region’s largest integrated theme park resort. Additionally, 2016 witnessed the opening of Dubai Opera, a world-class entertainment venue, hosting some of the most internationally acclaimed performances and productions, and City Walk, the city’s trendiest new retail destination. In addition, the 22^nd edition of the recently-concluded Dubai Shopping Festival, joined by the likes of Global Village, Dubai Food Festival, the family-focused Dubai Summer Surprises and well-established business and consumer events, all serve as leading anchors to the emirate’s strong event proposition, supplemented by a plethora of other offerings.

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About Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism)
With the ultimate vision of positioning Dubai as the world’s leading tourism destination and commercial hub, Dubai Tourism’s mission is to increase the awareness of Dubai among global audiences and to attract tourists and inward investment into the emirate. Dubai Tourism is the principal authority for the planning, supervision, development and marketing of Dubai’s tourism sector. It markets and promotes the Emirate’s commerce sector, and is responsible for the licensing and classification of all tourism services, including hotels, tour operators and travel agents. Brands and departments within the Dubai Tourism portfolio include Dubai Convention and Events Bureau, Dubai Calendar, and Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (formerly known as Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment). In addition to its headquarters in Dubai, Dubai Tourism operates 20 offices worldwide.

© Press Release 2017