The ongoing launch of new hotels and tourism venues in Dubai highlights the private sector's trust in the local tourism market and its future potential. According to Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), both investments in new hospitality projects and renovations of existing properties show sustained confidence and guarantee that the sector is prepared for the upcoming period. Speaking on the sidelines of the 33rd Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Kazim pointed out that moving the exhibition from May to September aligned it with a period of rising market activity. He added that the department is collaborating with its public and private sector partners to maintain this momentum, expressing optimism for the final quarter of the year. While Dubai achieved record-breaking performance at the end of 2025 and the start of 2026, efforts are ongoing to recover those levels and sustain this growth into the following year.
Further highlighting this growth, Hoor Al Khaja, Senior Vice President of International Operations at DCTCM, stated that Dubai's tourism sector is maintaining an upward path. This trajectory is bolstered by a diverse range of source markets, global marketing initiatives, and a robust schedule of events, aligned with the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. Data presented by Al Khaja during the ATM 2026 media briefing revealed that Dubai hosted 6.97 million international guests from January to August 2026, with 869,000 arrivals recorded in August alone. Western Europe was the leading source region, representing 20 percent of these visitors, followed by South Asia at 17 percent and the GCC countries at 16 percent.
By the end of August, Dubai's total hotel capacity reached 148,796 rooms spread across 947 establishments. This inventory included 51,846 rooms in five-star venues, 43,464 rooms in four-star venues, and 28,331 rooms in hotels rated one to three stars. Additionally, luxury hotel apartments accounted for 13,591 rooms, while mid-market hotel apartments supplied another 11,564 rooms. Al Khaja also detailed progress in sustainability, noting that the number of properties awarded the Dubai Sustainable Tourism Stamp grew by 55 percent to reach 237 hotels in 2026. She expressed a highly positive outlook for the fourth quarter, which is anticipated to benefit from cooler seasonal temperatures and a dense schedule of major events.
