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Dubai hailed as one of most visited cities in world

Once again, Dubai was hailed as one of the most visited cities in the world with more than 15.79 million overnight visitors in 2017.

According to Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index (GDCI) 2018, Dubai was the fourth most visited city in the world for the fourth straight year next to cities like Bangkok (20.05 million visitors), London (19.83 million), and Paris (17.44 million). Other cities in the top 10 include Singapore, New York, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Istanbul and Seoul.

GDCI Map

The number of visitors in Dubai is still expected to grow as the emirate projects a growth rate of 5.5 percent in 2018.

Dubai has also topped the list of global cities with the highest international overnight visitor spend for the third year in a row, with total international visitor spending of US$29.70 billion in 2017.

“Reaffirming its standing as a destination of choice for global travelers, Dubai has once again secured top rankings in Mastercard’s annual Global Destinations Cities Index. With its dynamic range of tourism, leisure, lifestyle, hospitality and business offerings, the emirate continues to attract visitors from across the globe,” said Girish Nanda, General Manager, UAE & Oman, Mastercard

“Renowned for global firsts and world records, Dubai has never shied away from evolving, and has transformed itself into one of the world’s most prolific tourism and investment hubs. The index offers research and insights into global spending and travel patterns, helping cities to innovate and improve their offerings and enrich the lives of residents and visitors alike,” he added.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi has once again been named the fastest growing city in the Middle East and Africa, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 18.21 percent between 2009 and 2017 in overnight visitor arrivals. The UAE’s capital city is also among the top ten global cities that experienced the strongest growth in international arrivals in the Mastercard study.

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