Dubai Ranked World’s Second-Best Food Tourism Destination in 2024

The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism published the 2024 Dubai Gastronomy Industry Report that positions Dubai position as the second top food tourism destination worldwide. Dubai exists in the second position following Paris while outranking internationally acclaimed food destinations including London, New York and Tokyo.

Dubai established itself as a global gastronomy destination by granting 1,200 new restaurant licenses during the year of 2024. The restaurant licenses of the emirate demonstrate its multicultural spirit through diverse dining concepts which represent the various culinary preferences of its more than 200 different nationalities living there.

Research spanning over 1,100 Dubai food connoisseur opinions from September through October 2024 indicated that restaurant customer satisfaction amounted to 62%. Customer satisfaction ratings for dining variety jumped to 70% with +3% growth while innovation rose to 61% with +2% improvement and cultural heritage hit 58% with +1% growth and world-class chefs boosted to 64% with +2% increase.

As per CEO Ahmed Al Khaja from Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment the food and restaurant sector serves as one of the main pillars in the tourism plan of the emirate. The report establishes Dubai as a leader in global gastronomy while showcasing its exceptional food diversity.

The dining experience in Dubai has achieved first position worldwide surpassing Paris and Singapore in terms of dining variety. Social media platforms serve as crucial resources for dining recommendations since 70% of United Arab Emirates food consumers use them for recommendations. Public safety regulations stand as the most significant concern for United Arab Emirates citizens whereas dining choices rank second (49%), then decor (43%) comes after both (42%) then cost-effectiveness lies last (38%).

The number of food-related searches on Google increased to 741,500 within the first seven months of 2024 which represented a 23.5% escalation compared to the corresponding period from 2023. The research data demonstrates how Dubai’s culinary industry enjoys rapid expansion while expanding its global influence on food tourism.