8 out of 10 tourists keen on bringing their families on their next visit to Dubai

Top 6 factors why tourists prefer Dubai are (1) Diversity of tourist attractions, (2) Dubai’s multi-cultural community (3) Openness and tolerance, (4) Value for money, (5) A wide variety of entertainment and dining options, and (6) Safety and security

58% of tourists plan to visit Dubai again within six to 12 months

More than 50% of international tourists visit Dubai with their families

Dubai has established itself as the ultimate family vacation destination for international tourists with 8 out of 10 international tourists keen on bringing their families on their next visit to the emirate, the latest Arabian Falcon Holidays (AFH) survey with 1,212 respondents has revealed.

More than half of the international tourists choose to enjoy their vacations in Dubai with their families, clearly reflecting Dubai’s fast-growing popularity as a preferred destination for family tourism.

Al Mohannad Sharafuddin, Founder of Arabian Falcon Holidays, the largest independent timeshare sales and marketing company in the Middle East with more than 9,000 guests served in 2016, said the vision of Dubai’s leadership to diversify the economy with a strong focus on tourism and investments toward new attractions and world-class infrastructure are strongly contributing to making Dubai a favourite holiday destination among families.

Sharafuddin said: “The visionary leadership of Dubai has a futuristic approach, which has not left any area unattended. Be it adopting the Happiness Agenda or embracing smart technology and encouraging innovation to ensure speedy and hassle-free procedures across all sectors, the initiatives making Dubai a place that ensures comfort and happiness for all, contribute strongly to establishing it as a city one would love to live in and visit with family.”

Dubai welcomed more than 14.9 million international tourists in 2016 and has been witnessing a strong growth in tourism particularly after His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE's Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, approved the Dubai Vision 2020 for the tourism sector, which lays a strategic roadmap with the goal of attracting 20 million tourists (doubling the number welcomed in 2012) annually by 2020.

Family tourism is at the heart of the vision and is in line with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed’s statement earlier this year that the UAE should be the world’s leading family destination, the DTCM is actively working toward coordinating the activities of industry and public-sector partners to expand the existing attractions, events and experiences that cater to families.

The positive impact of these initiatives is clearly indicated in the AFH survey wherein international tourists said diversity of tourist attractions and Dubai’s multicultural community are their top reasons for making Dubai their destination of choice.

According to the survey, 18.6 per cent tourists said diversity of tourist attractions was what they liked the most about Dubai, followed by Dubai’s multi-cultural community, a factor that made Dubai a preferred destination for 17.5 per cent international tourists. Openness and tolerance, value for money, a wide variety of entertainment and dining options and safety and security were among the other factors international tourists liked the most about the emirate.

As Dubai continues with its focus on developing family tourism through massive investments toward infrastructure and developing new attractions, family tourism is set to record further increase.

According to the AFH survey, around 58 per cent of tourists said they planned to visit Dubai again within the next six to 12 months.

“Dubai has set an example for other countries to follow by adopting a holistic approach, initiatives and endeavours to maintain its existing market share, while showcasing its attractions to a wider audience and widening its range of tourism offerings to its focus segments, most importantly families, giving it an edge above other destinations. If you want one destination that offers a memorable holiday, with the best of attractions, facilities, comfort, food, complete with every aspect taken care of, it is none other than Dubai," Sharafuddin concluded.