Dubai sees record-breaking tourist arrivals: 5 accolades that prove why it is world's best travel destination

Dubai's tourist numbers surpassed its pre-pandemic level, growing by 20 per cent to a record 8.55 million in the first half of 2023 as against 8.36 million in H1 2019.

The emirate was one of the first cities in the world to open after Covid-19 following the government's successful handling of the pandemic, helping it recover faster than its peers. The tourism industry was one of the first beneficiaries of the reopening of borders, with a large number of foreign tourists flocking to the emirate.

There are several reasons why Dubai achieved this feat faster than many other cities worldwide, and in the process, the emirate gathered accolades that proved it is the world's top destination after Covid-19. Here are some of them:

Tripadvisor ranked Dubai and tourism-related experiences in the emirate as the best in the world. This was only the second time in history that a city won the coveted award for two years in a row.

In January, the emirate was ranked the world's best destination for holidaymakers in 2023 in Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards as well. In June, the dune-bashing safari experience in Dubai's Lahab was ranked first on the travel platform. Tripadvisor's Travellers' Choice 2023 also named Dubai's JW Marriott Marquis Hotel the best in the Middle East.

Travelbag named Dubai the most picturesque and prettiest city at night. "Dubai at night is a cityscape of unparalleled beauty, which is why we've crowned it the prettiest city to experience after dark. With an impressive count of 25,905 Instagram posts under the hashtag 'dubaiatnight', it's clear the city holds an irresistible allure for nocturnal adventurers," it said. The emirate was also named one of the safest cities to walk alone at night, so even solo travellers can take in the sights without worry.

Resonance Consultancy ranked Dubai the best place in the world to live, work, invest and visit in 2023. The consultancy said the world's deepest pool Deep Dive Dubai, Dubai Mall, the Burj Khalifa, Museum of the Future, Mohammed bin Rashid Library, Dubai Creek, The Palm and the world's first and highest 360-degree Infinity pool Aura Skypool are top landmarks and attractions of the world.

A study released by Bounce rated Dubai the most favourite destination for 2023 on the global social media platform TikTok. The emirate was rated the top destination for the second consecutive year with 140.4 billion views, followed by New York (101.8b views) and London.

• Dubai breaks record in welcoming the world; surpasses pre-Covid tourism figures