Dubai retained its top rank worldwide for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) into tourism in 2021. With AED6.4 billion ($1.7 billion) in FDI across 30 FDI projects during the year, Dubai ranked number one in FDI capital, projects, and job creation in the tourism sector in 2021, according to The Financial Times’ fDi Markets data, a leading global data source on crossborder greenfield FDI investments.
The year also marked a successful five-year period during which Dubai stayed ahead of leading international cities, including London, Paris and Shanghai, in attracting FDI into tourism. Dubai’s tourism sector attracted AED83.5 billion ($22.8 billion) in FDI capital across 205 FDI projects during 2017-21, generating 30,082 new jobs.
Dubai welcomed 7.28 million international overnight visitors in 2021, representing a 32 per cent year-over-year growth and underscoring the city’s efforts to become the world’s most visited destination.
The exceptional success of Expo 2020 Dubai, the largest global event of its kind that attracted more than 24 million visitors, followed Dubai’s achievement in being selected as the world’s most popular destination in the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2022.
