The bar has been raised…

Dubai International (DXB) has welcomed a record-breaking 44.9 million guests in the first half of 2024, marking an eight per cent year-on-year increase.

In the last week of July, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the UAE shared that Dubai set a new tourism record welcoming over 9.3 million international overnight visitors in the first half of 2024.


The numbers showcase that DXB has firmly established its position as a globally preferred gateway.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, stated, “The record-breaking performance in the first half of this year highlights our strategic importance as a global aviation hub.”

Strong demand from key source markets such as India and the gradual but certain resurgence of markets, such as China, have been instrumental in our success. We have a very optimistic outlook for the remainder of the year, and we are on track to break records with 91.8 million annual guests forecasted for 2024.”, he added.

Dubai International expects to receive 91 million passengers this year

Where are the numbers coming from?

According to Emirates News Agency (WAM), DXB’s top destination countries after India is Saudi Arabia with 3.7 million guests followed by the United Kingdom with 2.9 million guests and Pakistan with 2.3 million guests.

Other significant markets include the United States (1.7 million guests), Russia (1.3 million), and Germany (1.3 million).

The top three city destinations were London with 1.8 million guests, Riyadh (1.6 million), and Mumbai (1.2 million).

DXB is connected to 269 destinations across 106 countries. It is served by 101 international airlines. Flight movements reached 216,000 which is a 7.2 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. The busiest month was January with 7.9 million guests.

Fun fact: In terms of baggage, the stats are in and DXB managed a whopping 39.7 million bags in the first half of the year. (And this is why I tie a bright ribbon around every handle of my bag…)

Images: Emirates News Agency (WAM)