# United Arab Emirates inbound market data and visitor characteristics

**Publisher:** VisitBritain  
**Published:** n/a  
**Category:** Destinations, NTOs & DMOs  
**Type:** Factsheet  
**Access:** Free  
**Official source:** https://www.visitbritain.org/research-insights/inbound-markets/united-arab-emirates-uae  
**Canonical:** https://tourismintel.ai/reports/united-arab-emirates-uae

## At a glance
- UK welcomed 374,000 visits from UAE in 2024, generating £613.2 million total expenditure at £1,641 average spend per visit.
- Visiting friends and relatives accounted for 37% of spending; holidays 34%; business 14%; study and miscellaneous 15%.
- 76% of holiday visitors from UAE were repeat visitors within 10 years; 81% extremely likely to recommend Britain on departure.
- Nearly all UAE visitors (98%) travelled by air in 2024; 64% of direct flight seats routed to London.

## What the report covers
VisitBritain's market profile presents official inbound tourism data for UAE visitors to the UK, sourced primarily from the International Passenger Survey (ONS). It covers 2024 visitor volumes, expenditure, demographics, trip purpose, geographic origin, repeat visitation and destination perceptions. The factsheet is designed for DMOs, hotels and travel distribution partners engaging with this high-value source market.

## Key findings
In 2024, the UK received 374,000 visits from UAE residents, generating £613.2 million in expenditure. Average spend per visit was £1,641. Visiting friends and relatives generated 37% of spending, holidays 34%, business 14%, and study and miscellaneous visits 15%. One-third of visitors were UK nationals; 38% were Emiratis.

Geographic concentration is marked: over three-quarters of UAE visitors to the UK reside in Dubai, approximately one in five in Abu Dhabi. This distribution reflects the population concentration of expatriates and Emiratis in these emirates and informs trade targeting and marketing segmentation.

Repeat visitation is strong: 76% of holiday visitors from UAE (excluding British expats) reported repeat visits within 10 years. On departure, 81% of all UAE visitors said they were 'extremely likely' to recommend Britain, matching the all-market average of 82%, indicating competitive positioning despite perceptions that other destinations better serve certain holiday priorities.

Destination perceptions centre on heritage and culture. Top three perceptions are Britain 'is a mixture of old and new', 'is a place to explore history and heritage', and 'is good for seeing famous sites'. However, the market prioritises 'enjoying landscape beauty' and 'good value for money'—areas where Italy and USA rank higher—suggesting Britain should leverage heritage strengths while addressing value positioning.

Air connectivity is dominant: 98% of UAE visitors travelled by air in 2024. Weekly capacity totalled 90,629 seats across 207 departures in 2025, with 64% routing to London. Three UAE airports and eight UK airports operate direct routes. Scheduled non-stop capacity reached 104% of 2019 levels by 2025, indicating strong post-pandemic recovery.

## Key numbers
| Metric | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Visits to UK from UAE | 374,000 | Observed, 2024 |
| Total visitor expenditure | £613.2 million | Observed, 2024 |
| Average spend per visit | £1,641 | Observed, 2024 |
| Spending from visiting friends and relatives | 37% | Observed, 2024 |
| Repeat holiday visitors within 10 years | 76% | Observed, excludes British expats, 2024 |
| Extremely likely to recommend Britain | 81% | Observed, departing visitors, 2024 |
| Weekly aircraft departures UAE to UK | 207 | Observed, 2025 |
| Weekly seat capacity direct flights | 90,629 | Observed, 2025 |

## Why it matters
**DMOs & destinations** — UAE is a sustained high-value source market with £1,641 average spend per visit. Geographic concentration in Dubai and Abu Dhabi enables targeted campaigns. Strong repeat visitation and recommendation rates validate heritage positioning. Market research shows preference for landscape beauty and value; promotional focus on religious and school holidays (Eid, National Day, summer) aligns with peak travel periods.

**Hotels & hospitality** — VFR traffic (37% of spending) requires family-oriented accommodation. Cultural service differentiators—halal provisions, prayer facilities, separate leisure times by gender, Ramadan flexibility—improve satisfaction. High repeat-visitor proportion signals loyalty potential. Average spend indicates affluent clientele. Relationship-based, single-point-of-contact service and WhatsApp communication enhance word-of-mouth referrals within this market.

**Travel tech & distribution** — Air distribution is critical: 98% of visitors fly, with 64% capacity via London. Direct flight restoration to 104% of 2019 capacity signals sustained demand. Heritage experience packages targeting repeat visitors should emphasise cultural appeal. Arabic-language content and WhatsApp engagement support market penetration. Booking patterns reflect Ramadan, school holidays and national holidays—optimising inventory and pricing against these periods maximises capture of this segment.

## Methodology and limits
Data derives primarily from the International Passenger Survey (IPS) conducted by the ONS. The 2024 figures are observed statistics; however, ONS has badged 2024 IPS data as 'official statistics in development' subject to future revision as methodology improves. VisitBritain notes that IPS H2 2024 trends were inconsistent with other data sources, advising caution with that period. Perceptions and holiday 'wants' data come from 2022 traveller research. This brief summarises publicly available summary data only.

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© VisitBritain for the original report. This brief is an original editorial summary by TourismIntel (https://tourismintel.ai). Read the original: https://www.visitbritain.org/research-insights/inbound-markets/united-arab-emirates-uae