Inbound tourism from China to Dubai has been experiencing a consistent and robust growth trajectory as the nation continues its recovery from the impact of Covid-19. Prior to the pandemic, China held a significant position as a major contributor to Dubai's thriving tourism sector.

According to Dubai Tourism's most recent report for the sector up to June, China now ranks as the eighth largest source market for Dubai. This designation is underpinned by a remarkable 297 percent year-on-year increase, with 260,000 Chinese visitors during the specified period. This growth rate was three times higher than the increase in Russian tourism to Dubai. Notably, more Chinese tourists arrived in Dubai during this period than visitors from countries like France, Canada, Egypt, and the Philippines.

The surge in Chinese visitor numbers to Dubai has been particularly noteworthy in 2023. The year commenced with 23,000 travelers from China in January, positioning it as the 17th largest source market among the recorded 20. Subsequently, this ranking improved in February (15th), further advanced in March (11th), and ultimately broke into the top 10 in April.

Over the past decade, China has consistently stood out as one of the principal sources of tourism for Dubai. In 2019, out of nearly 17 million visitors received by the emirate, almost 990,000 were Chinese tourists. Despite the challenges posed by Covid restrictions, data from the Dubai Department of Tourism for 2022 indicated a recovery in Chinese visitor numbers, totaling 177,000.

Dubai's tourism and hospitality industry has not only rebounded but also surpassed its pre-Covid performance on various fronts. 2019 was a record-breaking year for the emirate, and 2023 has shown even more impressive figures in terms of visitors, hotel occupancy rates, and overall tourism performance.

As reported by the Dubai Media Office, Dubai is leading the global recovery race as the fastest-recovering destination worldwide. The city welcomed 8.55 million travelers in the first half of 2023, surpassing the achievement of 8.36 million in the same period of 2019, thus solidifying Dubai's position as a remarkable success story in the world of tourism.