Dubai is often described as Las Vegas without the casinos. In 2014, a phrase began to trend on social media: “You think money can’t buy happiness? Habibi, come to Dubai.” Supersized hotels, buffets, malls, amusement parks, aquariums, designer cars and luxury yachts are all commonplace. As its leaders and property developers proudly say, the city-state along the Persian Gulf has the world’s highest building (the Burj Khalifa), the world’s tallest hotel (JW Marriott Marquis Dubai), the world’s largest artificial island (the Palm Jumeirah) and the world’s biggest mall (Dubai Mall).
In a recent podcast, Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), shared Dubai’s ambitious vision to become the world’s tourism capital by 2050. Dubai welcomed 4.67 million international overnight visitors in the first quarter of 2023, compared to 3.97 million tourists during the same period in 2022. Most tourists were from India, at 806,000, followed by Russia (474,000), the UK (391,000), Saudi Arabia (352,000), and Oman (348,000). Germany, the US, Israel, China and Iran were among the top 10 source countries.
Talking to Hotelier Indiay, Bader Ali Habib, Head of Region, South Asia, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism: said: “Our commitment to India has been steadfast and we expect it to only see an upward curve in the years to come.”
DET has been promoting Dubai as the top vacation spot for Indian tourists since 2014. Leveraging its close proximity and seamless connectivity to cities in India, the DET was determined to strengthen its foothold in secondary markets by highlighting the myriad offerings of the desert city.
DET has been showcasing Dubai to woo the growing number of Indian tourists. “India has been the number one tourism market for Dubai over the past few years,” Habib added.
In a tweet, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said: “In the first quarter of 2023, Dubai solidified its position as the premier global tourism destination by hosting 4.67 million international visitors. This marks a remarkable 17% increase from the same period in the previous year and is a testament to the successful implementation of the D33 Agenda’s forward-thinking strategy. Fueled by its thriving economy, Dubai remains at the forefront of the global tourism industry’s recovery.
Ramesh Dutta, a salesman at Carrefour, “With long summer school and college breaks, people prefer long holidays – 10 to 14 days – during this season. Not only tourists from India, majority of expats from India do their shoppings from here.”
Dubai’s culinary scene is a delightful fusion of global flavors and creative concepts, attracting Indians with its rich gastronomical experiences. From specialty coffee houses to exclusive bean-to-bar chocolateries, the city has transformed into a food lover’s paradise. With a diverse range of Emirati homegrown concepts and an impressive array of dining options, Dubai caters to every palate.
Local Emirati cuisine has been losing ground in Dubai’s food scene for a while now. With a lot of fascinating new Emirati eateries sprouting all around the city. Some of the best regional foods and beverages to sample when visiting Dubai, from mouthwatering breads and pastries to Arabic coffee, Lebanese and Iranian food so on and so forth.
(The reporter was in Dubai on an invite of the Department of Economy and Tourism of Dubai)