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The special report was unveiled at the first gastronomy industry briefing hosted by DET at the W Dubai Mina Seyahi, and was attended by more than 100 restaurateurs, culinary specialists and stakeholders from the food and beverage sector, to share seasonal highlights in relation to the ever-expanding gastronomy sector, and reveal industry insights from the city’s inaugural gastronomy report.
Dubai has a dynamic culinary ecosystem of around 13,000 restaurants and cafés. Dubai has grown to become one of the world’s leading epicurean destinations, and its gastronomy scene has diversified and progressed in line with the expansion and development of the city, and remains a key driver of growth for the tourism sector.
Dubai welcomed 7.12 million international overnight visitors during the first half of 2022. Thousands of Indians flocked the emirate’s to satiate their taste buds.
Talking to FinancialExpress.com Issam Kazim, CEO Dubai Economy and Tourism, said, that India has always been one of Dubai’s most important source markets, with the city’s close proximity proving to be a key draw for Indian visitors eager for a short-haul holiday.
The market continues to draw the highest visitation with 1.08 million visitors from Jan-Aug 2022, reaffirming the emirate’s unmatched appeal for leisure, business travellers, and families across a variety of Indian cities.
Additionally, the warm relationship between India and Dubai rooted in trust and cultural moorings has contributed to the robust flow of visitors to the city.
As they ramp up efforts to further solidify the global competitiveness of Dubai to make it the number 1 most visited, preferred, and revisited global city, strategic events, initiatives, and campaigns such as the Dubai Presents, Stay More Pay Less, etc, are all integral in enabling us to connect with our stakeholders in India, to explore opportunities for enhanced collaboration.
In India, they are looking at every market as an opportunity, and with our open skies policy, the city’s airports and carriers are striving to invest further.
Our goal is to continue leveraging India’s growing tourism momentum with seasonal messaging, segment-specific campaigns, industry engagements, and strategic destination partnerships.
The city was recognised as the No.1 global destination and the fourth leading destination for ‘Food Lovers’ in the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2022, demonstrating the depth of the culinary scene and the diversity of culinary offerings.
Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) revealed key findings from the newly commissioned annual industry report during the event, showcasing the gastronomy activities and initiatives.
The inaugural ‘Dubai Gastronomy Industry Report’ highlights that Dubai’s vibrant and stimulating food scene is a direct reflection of the city itself, with the city being one of the most culturally diverse destinations around the world and a melting pot of more than 200 nationalities.
This diversity, alongside the city’s enabling framework and dynamic ecosystem has fuelled Dubai’s acceleration into a unique international culinary hub.
The report is based on the feedback and findings of various research carried out by DET including the Global Brand Tracker, Dubai International Visitor Surveys and a local research survey, in addition to thousands of independent reviews posted on food and travel websites.
A survey of a number of residents to evaluate their perception of Dubai as an international foodie destination showed that over 55% of respondents ranked Dubai as the No.1 global gastronomy hub followed by London and New York.
The survey also highlighted that 52% of residents in the city dine out up to three times per week. The city also, impressively, ranks second in categories such as world-class chefs, fine dining and service at restaurants, ahead of New York, London, Singapore and Istanbul.
The report also points out that 72.2 per cent of international visitors said they are happy with the overall quality of food they ate in Dubai and the restaurants they dined in.
The report, which will be released annually, will chart the evolving elements of Dubai’s dynamic food scene and create a platform for insights into Dubai’s culinary sector to be shared with restaurateurs, chefs, potential collaborators and stakeholders locally and globally, whilst also providing an overview of initiatives to further elevate Dubai’s profile as a leading gourmet destination.
Tags: Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Dubai Gastronomy Industry
