Dubai welcomed a record 14.9 million visitors in 2016, the city's tourism department said Tuesday (February 7th).
The city-state, one of seven sheikdoms that make up the UAE, aims to attract 20 million visitors annually by 2020 when it hosts the global trade fair Expo 2020, AFP reported.
As turmoil hits traditional tourism destinations in the Middle East and North Africa, Dubai has benefited from its reputation as a safe haven for tourism and business.
The number of visitors to Dubai in 2016 increased by 5% compared to the previous year, the tourism department said in a statement.
Travelers from Gulf countries made up almost 23% of all visitors, it said, with Saudis alone accounting for almost half of them.
Dubai International Airport retained its position as the world's busiest hub for international passengers in 2016 , handling 83.6 million travellers.
