The World Tourism Organization revealed that the spending of international visitors in the Emirate of Dubai, during 2018, amounted to $ 21.375 billion (about 78.6 billion dirhams), compared to about $ 21 billion (about 77.24 billion dirhams) in 2017, to take the city of Dubai alone 29.3% of total spending in the Middle East combined.

In its annual report issued yesterday, the organization said that the emirate of Dubai continued to record high rates of international visitor spending during the past years, rising from about 8.5 billion dollars in 2010 to 21.375 billion dirhams in 2018, an increase of about 12.87 billion dollars. , And a growth of 151%. Expenditure by international visitors is known as “international tourism receipts” and includes: • payments by visitors for goods or services received at the destination;

16 million visitors

In its report, which monitors the performance of global tourism markets, the organization said that in 2018, Dubai received about 16 million international visitors, compared to 15 million and 790 thousand visitors in 2017, noting that Dubai alone accounted for about 35% of the total number of international visitors to Middle East as a whole, in 2018.

According to the report, Dubai ranked first in the Middle East in terms of both international visitors and spending.

Middle east

On the Middle East, the Saudi market as a whole ranked second in terms of visitors with 15.2 million international visitors, with spending of $ 12 billion, followed by the Egyptian market with 11.3 million international visitors and $ 11 billion.

Middle East countries received a total of 60.4 million international visitors in 2018, compared to 57.7 million in 2017, a growth rate of 4.68%, while the total expenditure of visitors to the region amounted to about $ 73 billion compared to $ 68.3 billion in 2017, a growth rate of About 6.9%. Tourism is a key pillar in some destinations, while some oil-based economies are heading to develop the tourism sector, the report said, noting that Egypt has seen a strong recovery thanks to an increase in visitors from Germany, Italy and other European markets.

around the world

The total number of international tourists around the world in 2018 reached 1.4 billion visitors, a growth of 5%, driven by a relatively strong global economy, affordable travel and visa facilities. Revenue from tourism has grown to $ 1.7 trillion, increasing the sector's importance as a major counterweight to economic growth and development, and the ability to create more jobs. France, Spain and the United States ranked first in terms of international visitor numbers in 2018, while America retained its position as the largest market in terms of international tourism receipts.

9.58 million visitors

During the first seven months of this year, Dubai received 9.58 million international visitors, compared with 9.25 million visitors during the same period of 2018, a growth rate of 3.57%, according to the latest statistics issued by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.

The number of hotel rooms at the end of July 2019 increased to 118,209 hotel rooms, compared to 111,332 hotel rooms at the end of July 2018, representing a growth of 6.18%.