Hotelupwell.com – Dubai is now declaring itself as a tourist destination for everyone. Dubai Economic and Tourism Regional Director for Asia Pacific International Operations Shahab Shayan said, Dubai also has tourist attractions for budget travelers not only for those with deep pockets
“Dubai is for everyone. Vacations with family, friends, couples, solo travelers, all are possible,” said Shahab, in a media gathering, Wednesday (7/8/2024).
For budget travelers, Shahab suggests coming in the summer. Vacations in winter will be more expensive, Shahab said it is actually the same as vacations anywhere in this part of the world.
“In the summer, in Dubai there are more hotels with discounts. There is no need to be afraid of getting hot because there are many indoor activities in Dubai,” he explained.
He gave an example, Dubai has many shopping centers. Dubai Mall, one of them, can even be visited all day to enjoy it. In addition to places to eat and shop, there is also the Dubai Aquarium.
“There are many choices of places to eat there, you can go for expensive ones. But in the public dining area, the prices will be normal,” said Shahab.
After enjoying the Dubai Mall to your heart’s content, in the afternoon, move a little out to enjoy the fountain or Dubai Fountain without any charges. Not far from there is the Museum of the Future which lights up at night. Shahab recommends taking pictures outside the iconic museum building with the lights on. All free of charge.
“Come during the summer, it will be cheaper. There are many places to eat that also give discounts, for example during the summer there are restaurants that give buy one get one discounts for children’s meals. Or even just parents pay, and children can eat for free,” he said.
Other tours that can be enjoyed free of charge are enjoying the beaches in Dubai, then walking around the market or souk, and exploring the river on the antique Abra boat. To ride the Abra, said Shahab, the cost is only around 25 US cents. Less than Rp. 10 thousand per person, that is.
Because the city is small, transportation costs in Dubai are also relatively affordable. From the airport, tourists can use the Metro or train to the city center. The distance is also close.
Indonesian tourists, he said, spend an average of US$60 per day per person when on holiday in Dubai. He suggested preparing a minimum budget of US$50-100 per day to enjoy Dubai.
The small size of the city also makes Dubai possible to stop over in just 24 hours. Making it suitable for additional tourism for Emirates passengers transiting in Dubai.
For tourists flying with Emirates, they can enjoy longer comfort and excitement through the stopover program, Dubai Connect. This program offers hotel accommodation, transportation, meals, and free visa services.
In 2023, Dubai welcomed 17.15 million international tourists who stayed overnight in Dubai. The number increased by 19.4 percent compared to the previous year.
The positive trend continued until the first semester of 2024 with the number of visitors reaching 9.31 million people or growing by 9 percent compared to the same period last year. Of the total visits, 10 percent came from the Northeast and Southeast Asia regions. There was also a significant increase in visits by tourists from Indonesia by 5.9 percent.
Dubai retained its position as the world’s most popular tourist destination for the third consecutive year at the Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards 2024, a feat no other city has achieved before.
