Image: Dubai Media Office
The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) held its initial City Briefing of 2025 on a bustling Monday, welcoming over 1,300 participants from various sectors including tourism, hospitality, retail, aviation, and government. The event took place at the Coca-Cola Arena, a vibrant venue likened to the pulse of Dubai’s ever-growing tourism landscape.
This gathering served as DET’s bi-annual platform aimed at fostering collaboration between public and private sectors, ensuring a collective stride towards maintaining and amplifying the city’s tourism momentum. Against the backdrop of the UAE’s Year of Community theme, the briefing emphasized cooperation as a cornerstone for achieving sustainable tourism growth in Dubai.
Under the guidance of Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of DET, attendees were privy to pivotal updates regarding Dubai’s tourism performance, strategic future campaigns, and citywide initiatives in sync with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.
Tourism Milestones: A Growing Landscape
In a revealing update, it was announced that Dubai welcomed 7.15 million international overnight visitors from January to April 2025, marking a notable 7% increase when compared to the same timeframe in 2024. This comes on the heels of the city recording 18.72 million visitors in the previous year, achieving a remarkable second consecutive year of tourism growth.
The hotel sector showcased a robust performance with 153,534 rooms available by the end of April, reflecting year-on-year gains across key metrics. Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), remarked on the tremendous industry results achieved thus far in 2025, crediting the unyielding support from stakeholders and partners. “Together as a community, we’ve navigated challenges, sculpted compelling narratives about the city, and influenced global trends,” he stated enthusiastically.
Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), added depth to the conversation by emphasizing how the city’s continuous calendar of events plays a critical role as an economic driver. Events such as these not only attract tourists but also significantly bolster sectors like retail and hospitality. “These premier experiences embody Dubai’s ambitious vision and serve as vital pillars of our economy,” he asserted.
Read: DCTCM’s Hoor Al Khaja on strategy, sustainability and Dubai’s global appeal
New Initiatives and Campaigns by DET
The briefing spotlighted several innovative initiatives designed to enhance Dubai’s standing. Noteworthy is the city’s recognition as the first Certified Autism Destination in the Eastern Hemisphere. This accolade, awarded in collaboration with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), is backed by training for over 70,000 individuals through the Dubai College of Tourism, alongside steps taken by more than 300 hotels to improve accessibility for neurodivergent visitors.
Additionally, the ‘MyDubai Communities’ platform was unveiled, launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in April. This digital initiative is set to strengthen social bonds by creating over 100 interest-based groups aimed at fostering connections among residents.
Summer 2025 also brings the exciting campaign, ‘Dubai. That’s How You Summer’, which positions the city as a dynamic summer destination. Furthermore, the campaign ‘Find Your Story’, launched earlier, features celebrities Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi discovering the unique blend of adventure and futuristic architecture that Dubai has to offer.
Culinary Growth and Upcoming Events
Dubai’s burgeoning culinary scene continues to emerge as a vital tourism driver. The recently released 2025 MICHELIN Guide Dubai boasts 119 restaurants across 35 different cuisines, marking a 12.3% increase from 2024, and proudly features the city’s first three-starred restaurants: FZN by Björn Frantzén and Trèsind Studio.
As summer approaches, the city gears up for the return of Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) scheduled for June 27 to August 31. With activities structured into three phases—Summer Holiday Offers, The Great Summer Sale, and Back to School—DSS is anticipated to boost retail engagement and customer footfall throughout the season.
Looking ahead, Dubai’s retail calendar remains packed with anticipated events including the Dubai Home Festival, Dubai Fitness Challenge, and Dubai Shopping Festival all planned for the latter part of the year, alongside a series of noteworthy international business events.
The City Briefing concluded on an invigorating note, emphasizing the continued need for stakeholder engagement to ensure that Dubai retains its status as a premier global tourism and business hub.
