Have a break, head to Dubai

Dubai is moving away from being a city you must visit to a city you must experience.

Dubai continues to enjoy its status as one of the world's top cities for luxury travel - thanks to its year-round festivities and its status as a safe haven.
According to a survey sourced from over three million visitors in 2017 by travel portal Luxury Hotels Guides, the emirate - known as the regional hub for commerce, trade, tourism, fashion, art and culture - was rated the second most popular city for luxury travel globally.
Dubai is also the proud second home of international celebrities from Hollywood and Bollywood. The city of superlatives is home to the world's seven-star hotel Burj Al Arab, the tallest building Burj Khalifa and the biggest mall in the Middle East, among others.
According to the Luxury Hotels Guides survey, the emirate outvoted most of the popular cities such as London, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo, among others.
In the first nine months of 2017, Dubai recorded 7.5 per cent growth in tourist arrivals to 11.58 million. The strong growth keeps the emirate on track to achieve its 20 million visitors target by 2020.
Helal Saeed Almarri, director-general, Dubai Tourism, has said that the aim is not just to achieve higher repeat traffic but also to bring in newer audiences to achieve the 2020 target.
"Dubai is moving away from being a city you must visit to a city you must experience. Dubai continues to impress both residents and visitors with a tourism product that never ceases to evolve," said Glenn Nobbs, general manager of Copthorne Hotel Dubai. "The emirate enjoys world's best connectivity, has the finest infrastructure, the very best luxury hotels, superb mix of specialty restaurants, spectacular shopping malls with the most high-end brands... Dubai is home to some of the world's most extraordinary and opulent hotels and resorts, offering breathtaking views, family-friendly accommodations and activities. It offers everything one could wish for from a holiday."
According to the recent Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index, Dubai was ranked as one of the world's top four most prestigious destinations for international travellers, with spending reaching $28.5 billion (Dh104.6 billion) in 2016.
"Dubai is quickly maturing as a destination that one can return to over and over again - and still have an experience that's just as amazing, just as surprising, just as fulfilling as the first time," said Samir Hamadeh, general manager at Alpha Destination Management.
"Dubai is a place where you can continue to experience that joy of discovery no matter how many times you have been here or how many things you have seen."
Besides Dubai, the UAE capital Abu Dhabi also made the list. The city has recently opened the Louvre and has a range of high-end resorts and attractions under development. It was ranked 19th most popular luxury travel destination, outvoting the Bahamas, Tokyo, Sydney, Milan and Vienna.
Globally, Paris, Dubai, New York, London, Singapore, Amsterdam, Rome, Bali, Hong Kong and Hawaii rounded up the top 10 luxury travel destinations of 2017.
According to the survey methodology, results weighted towards popularity (60 per cent), then average booking amount (40 per cent). The higher the average spend per destination and the more visitors, the higher the destination appears.
"Dubai has a progressive and dynamic persona. It has always surprised tourists across the globe with its world-class landmarks and attractions," said Moussa El Hayek, chief operating officer of Al Bustan Centre and Residence.
"Factors that make Dubai a leading luxury destination is due to its modern architecture, newer attractions to accommodate all nationalities. Dubai has the best airlines and state-of-the-art infrastructure, which is pollution-free. The relaxed visa policy for specific countries has also played a major role in infusing tourists around the year," he added.
- waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com