Today's Edition
YOUSUF SAIFUDDIN KAPADIA (ABU DHABI)
Two cities in the UAE have been ranked among top travel destinations in the Middle East in 2024 - by the travelers!
Popular travel website, Tripadvisor, recently released their “Travelers' Choice Awards Best of the Best 2024” list where travelers ranked the emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi among the top destinations in the Middle East to travel in 2024.
The much-awaited annual list is curated based on travelers’ favorite destinations, hotels, restaurants, and things to do around the world, based on reviews and ratings collected over the past 12 months.
Countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have emerged as top tourist destinations, with the UAE consistently ranking high on travel websites and portals as organisations and travelers applaud the country for its safety, dynamism, multiculturalism, and state-of-the-art infrastructure.
Abu Dhabi ranked fourth on the top Middle East destinations list, describing the city as a “slick and modern capital of the UAE that presents a fascinating mixture of tradition and progression”.
Meanwhile, Dubai once again secured the top spot as the No.1 global destination in the 2024 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards, making it the first city to achieve this recognition for three consecutive years in a row. The cosmopolitan city also ranked No. 1 on the Middle East destinations list.
Safety UAE Cities
In 2023, Abu Dhabi ranked second on the safest cities in the world list, along with Sharjah (No. 7) and Dubai (No. 5). Compiled by Numbeo, a database of user-contributed information, the capital city was also ranked as the top city with the lowest crime rate along with Ajman, Sharjah, and Dubai featuring among the top 10.
These top rankings over the years reflect the fact that the UAE’s tourism sector has witnessed a wave of recovery and growth, highlighted by high-performance indicators in all aspects of the sector.
This bodes well for an exceptional tourist season, especially with a busy agenda of global events and major activities hosted by the country in the upcoming period.
‘World’s Coolest Winter’
The launch of the fourth edition of the “World’s Coolest Winter” campaign dominated the tourism scene in the country in 2024, which also saw significant achievements in the hotel and national transport sectors, reflecting their global excellence and leadership.
According to a report from the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Saleh Mohammed Al Geziry, Director General of Tourism at The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) said: “Abu Dhabi has a range of activities that encourage visitors to experience the emirate at their own pace. Through our collective efforts, we are building an infrastructure that fosters the sustainable growth of the leisure, hospitality, and tourism industries, anchoring our position as a top global tourist destination.”
Surge of Tourists
The hospitality sector in Abu Dhabi also witnessed record levels of hotel occupancy coinciding with the capital's celebrations for the New Year. The city hosted a series of massive events and celebrations in a global entertainment atmosphere, attracting visitors from all around the world.
