The official opening of Jumeirah’s Marsa Al Arab hotel today is big news for Dubai’s luxury accommodation landscape, with Dubai Tourism highlighting the emirate’s ever-evolving accommodation sector as a key driver of repeat visitation.
At a media lunch yesterday in Sydney, Dubai Tourism Regional Director Asia Pacific Shahab Shayan highlighted some of the emirate’s key developments at the luxury end. Other than the new Jumeirah property, he flagged the 2024 opening of vertical downtown resort One&Only One Za’abeel and the January launch of Mama Shelter as big milestones for the luxury sector. Yet to come are Ciel Tower, which will open in Q4 2025, and the Mandarin Oriental Dubai Wasl Tower which is slated to open in June 2025.
Another important addition to the emirate is the phased opening of J1 beach precinct. Already three venues are in operation, with a further 10 to come – each with high-end restaurant, private beach access and infinity pools. Other additions to the luxury landscape include the newly opened Dior Spa at The Lana, Dorchester Collection, the first Dior spa in the UAE, and a major expansion of the Dubai Mall, known for its high-end boutiques.
“We always get asked, ‘Well, I’ve been to Dubai last year, is there anything new to do or experience?’ Shayan shared. “And I think when we get all these new hotels, all these new attractions, all these new areas, the answer is yes. There’s always something to look forward to.
“I think we’re one of the few destinations that can probably say that and give that to the customers in order for them to come back.”
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The numbers back this up – out of the 18 million overnight visitors to Dubai, 25% are repeat visitors returning within 12 months. “That in itself speaks volumes,” Shayan said. Overall international visitor numbers climbed 9% in 2024.
Another interesting trend is the longer stopovers being seen from the Australian market.
“It used to be 48 to 72 hours, but the length of stay in the two years it’s gone up to six days,” Shayan told LATTE. “The segment changed. People travelling from Australia used to be families, but now we’re getting the younger generation.”
Travellers aged between 25 and 45 and couples are specifically enjoying what Dubai has to offer, he explained. “They’re coming for the culture, a lot for food – different components that are more mature now in the market versus what it was before.”
The food scene is particularly dynamic, according to Shayan. The Michelin Guide’s 2024 selection featured 106 restaurants across 35 cuisines, a 17.8% increase from 2023 and a 53.6% jump since the Guide’s Dubai inception in 2022 when it listed 69 restaurants.
With air connectivity between Australia and Dubai back to 95% of pre-pandemic capacity, Shayan is confident Australian numbers will continue to rise. Visitor numbers from Australasia rose to 360,000 from 338,000 in 2023.
