Dubai: The data from the 2025 Dubai International Visitor Survey revealed a broad map of the attractions that drew international tourists to the emirate, showing the continued strength of iconic landmarks and major entertainment experiences, and indicating high levels of visitor satisfaction.About 99.7% of visitors reporting that they were “happy or very happy” with their experience in Dubai during 2025, a result close to the level recorded in 2024.Attractions draw touristsSpecifically, the data from the 2025 Dubai International Visitor Survey revealed a broad map of attractions that drew international tourists to the emirate, showing the continued strength of iconic landmarks and major entertainment experiences, alongside growing interest in experiences related to culture, architecture, desert tourism, and marine activities.These results come in a record year for Dubai’s tourism sector, after the emirate welcomed 19.59 million international overnight visitors during 2025, an increase of 5% compared to 18.72 million visitors in 2024, thus recording the third consecutive record year, according to data from Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism.The data showed that The Dubai Mall maintained its position as the most visited attraction for international tourists, attracting 97% of them, while beaches and marine experiences came in next place, after being visited by 79% of international tourists, compared to 72% in 2024, while heritage and culture areas attracted 64% of visitors.The Dubai Fountain saw a 56% increase in visitors, while the Burj Khalifa attracted 49%, slightly higher than its 2024 projections. Desert safaris also drew 49% of international visitors, up from 43% the previous year. The data suggests that beach, sea, and desert experiences are becoming increasingly prominent in tourist itineraries, with iconic landmarks continuing to maintain their leading positions.Iconic landmarksDespite the wide range of experiences available to tourists, Dubai’s most famous landmarks still hold a prominent place in visitor programmes, with Global Village attracting 41% of visitors, a 7% year-on-year increase, while Palm Jumeirah attracted 41% of international visitors, a 3% increase.In an indication of the diversity of tourists’ interests, the percentage of those who visited the Dubai Frame rose to 40%, compared to 31% in 2024, while the percentage of visitors to the Museum of the Future rose to 38%, compared to 31% in the previous year.The report places the Dubai Frame and the Museum of the Future among the top attractions that have seen growth, along with Global Village, beaches and marine experiences.In terms of percentage, the report showed an increase in the percentage of visitors to Global Village from 34% in 2024 to 41% in 2025, while the percentage of visitors to beaches and marine experiences increased from 72% to 79%.It noted that some of the strongest growth rates came from attractions combining culture, architecture, and interactive experiences, while heritage and cultural sites attracted 64% of visitors, reflecting an interest in Dubai’s history and cultural identity. The data revealed a wide range of experiences visited by international tourists in 2025, including The View at Palm Jumeirah (27%), The Dubai Mall Aquarium (26%), and Bluewaters Island (23%). The Burj Al Arab and the water parks each accounted for 12% of visitors.The attraction map aligns with the nature of visits to Dubai, with leisure accounting for 78% of international tourist trips in 2025, while visiting friends and relatives made up 13%, business travel 8%, and other purposes the remainder. Travel group data also revealed that couples constituted the largest segment at 44%, with the average travel group size reaching 2.8 people in 2025.The strength of a destination isn't solely measured by visitor numbers; survey data also revealed high levels of visitor satisfaction. The percentage of visitors who reported being "happy or very happy" with their experience in Dubai reached 99.7% in 2025, a result similar to that recorded in 2024.In another indication of the impression left by the visit, the destination recommendation index reached 99.4%, indicating that the vast majority of visitors were willing to recommend Dubai to others.Regarding digital reputation, the overall rating of hotels rose to 9.2 out of 10 in 2025, compared to 9.1 in 2024, according to the “Digital Reputation Report” referred to in the survey.Guest services in hotels received high ratings, with service reaching 9.5 out of 10, food 9.5 out of 10, and cleanliness 9.2 out of 10. Outside the accommodation sector, restaurants scored 9.7 out of 10, while the result for tourist attractions was 9.4 out of 10. These indicators suggest that the high rating levels extend to the tourism system in Dubai, and are not limited to the hotel accommodation experience, with a clear diversity in the experiences that the international tourist explores during his visit.
