São Paulo – The emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai (pictured) received a total of 6.04 million international tourists during Q1, a growth of 1.8% year-on-year, as per figures by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates.
Dubai received 4.75 million from January to March against 4.65 million in the comparable period last year. Tourist arrivals to Abu Dhabi increased from 1.28 million to 1.29 million, as the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
Despite the increase in the number of tourist arrivals in Dubai, hotel revenues declined per room as a result of the constant discounts and offers provided by the emirate’s hotels.
Tourists coming in from some source markets increased, with Omanis coming on top with a 27.1% growth, while France grew 17.5%, China, 13.2%, Germany, 5.2%, and United States, 3.3%, while arrivals from Russia, India, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Pakistan decreased.
As per the report, most of Dubai-bound tourists are coming from the Gulf Cooperation Council states, Middle East, and North Africa, which account for 27%, 17% and 10% respectively of the emirate’s total foreign arrivals. West Europe and North America comprise 23% and 7% respectively. South Asian visitors represent 16%.
US tourists who went to Abu Dhabi in Q1 rose by 13.8%, followed by Egyptians, 9.7%, Jordanians, 8.2%, and Pakistanis, 6.5% against the same period last year.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
