dune buggy dubai phone booking support

Tourism in Dubai is a major part of the economy of Dubai. Dubai was the third most visited city in the world in 2023 with 17 million international visitors according to Euromonitor International.^[1][2] Dubai hosts more than 800 hotels with more than 150,000 rooms.^[3][4]

The discovery of oil in 1966 kick-started the development of present Dubai, however Sheikh Hamad bin Maktoum (ruler from 1958 till 1990) realised one day Dubai would run out of oil and started building an economy that would outlast it.^[5] A quote commonly attributed to Sheikh Rashid reflected his concern that Dubai's oil, which was discovered in 1966 and which began production in 1969, would run out within a few generations. Sheikh Rashid stated "My grandfather rode a camel, my father rode a camel, I drive a Mercedes, my son drives a Land Rover, his son will drive a Land Rover, but his son will ride a camel".^[6] Sheikh Rashid realized early he needed to diversify the emirate of Dubai's economy by building on the city's trading history and therefore he set out to establish Dubai as the region's trade and service hub. By 1979, he was successful in establishing the Jebel Ali Port, which became the logical shipping centre for the entire United Arab Emirates and the world's largest man-made port. He also upgraded Dubai International Airport and built the Dubai World Trade Centre, which was then the tallest building in the Middle East. By the end of the 1970s, the stage was set for the diversification of Dubai's economy away from oil and into other areas such as tourism.^[7]

In 1989 the Dubai Commerce and Tourism Promotion Board was established, to promote Dubai as a luxury destination for the up-tier market and influential business sectors. In January 1997, it was replaced with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).^[8]

In May 2013, the government of Dubai launched the Dubai Tourism Strategy 2020, with the key objective to attract 20 million visitors a year by 2020 and making Dubai a first choice destination for international leisure travellers as well as business travellers.^[9] In 2018, the strategy was expanded by setting new goals of attracting 21-23 million visitors in 2022 and 23-25 million visitors by 2025.^[10] The key objectives from 2013 and 2018 were not met due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The need to maintain its tourism industry has hampered Dubai's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[11] Along with COVID-19 Dubai's tourism sector has also been hurt by a greater international awareness of the status of human rights in the emirate and in particular the treatment of Princess Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum.^[12]

In November 2022, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid announced a national tourism strategy until 2031. The goal of the strategy is to attract Dh 100 billion in additional tourism investments (so that the tourism sector's contribution will be Dh450bn of Dubai's GDP in 2031) and receive 40 million hotel guests in 2031. The strategy includes 25 initiatives and policies to support the development of the tourism sector in the country.^[13]

In April 2025, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism introduced a new programme offering media training to students for promotion of tourism in the UAE. Applicants are provided with flights, luxury apartment and three months of income, along with certification from Dubai College of Tourism for posting about traveling experiences in Dubai on social media. According to Middle East Eye, this program aims to whitewash its human rights violations and war crime accusations in Sudan.^[14]

Since 1982, Dubai continued to be one of the fastest growing destinations for tourists. In 2002, visitors were mainly from other Gulf Cooperation Council members which accounted for 34% of tourists, South Asia accounted for 25%, other Arab states 16%, Europe 15%, and Africa 9%. In 2003, revenue from tourism exceeded $1 billion and surpassed oil revenues to directly and indirectly account for over 17% and 28% of GDP respectively.^[15]

From January to June 2019 8.36 million international tourists visited Dubai. Most of the visitors were from India (997,000) followed by Saudi Arabia (755,000) and the United Kingdom (586,000).^[16]

Mastercard's Global Destination Cities Index 2019 found that tourists spend more in Dubai than in any other country. In 2018, the country topped the list for the fourth year in a row with a total spend of $30.82 billion, a 3.8% increase over 2017 ($29.70 billion). The average spend per day was $553.^[17]

In 2019, Dubai attracted a total of 16.73 million tourists, which was an increase of 5.09% on the previous year. However, in 2020, the number of visitors dropped to 5.51 million due to the coronavirus pandemic.^[18]

Year	Total international visitors [19][20][21][15][22][23]	Increase/decrease	Visitor spending ($m)[24]
1982	374,400	— N/a
1990	632,903	69.04%
1991	716,642	13.23%
1992	944,350	31.77%
1993	1,088,000	15.21%
1994	1,239,000	13.88%
1995	1,601,000	29.22%	632.0
1996	1,768,000	10.43%	743.0
1997	1,792,000	1.36%	814.0
1998	2,184,000	21.88%	859.0
1999	2,481,000	13.60%	893.0
2000	3,027,000	22.01%	1,063.0
2001	3,626,625	19.81%	1,200.0
2002	4,756,280	31.15%	1,332.0
2003	4,980,228	4.71%	1,438.0
2004	5,420,000	8.83%	1,593.0
2005	6,160,003	13.65%	3,218.0
2006	6,441,670	4.57%	4,972.0
2007	6,951,798[25][26]	7.12%	6,072.0
2008	6,996,449[25]	0.64%	7,162.0
2009	7,580,000[27]	8.34%	7,352.0
2010	8,410,000	10.95%	8,577.0
2011	9,910,000	17.84%	9,204.0
2012	10,950,000	10.49%	10,924.0
2013	12,900,000	17.81%	12,389.0
2014	13,200,000	2.33%	15,221.0
2015	14,200,000	7.58%	25,587.1
2016	14,870,000	4.72%	28,657.4
2017	15,790,000	6.19%	29,705.5
2018	15,920,000	0.82%	34,609.5
2019	16,730,000	5.09%	38,413.3
2020	5,510,000[a]	-67.07%	24,615.4
2021	7,280,000[b]	32.12%
2022	14,360,000[28]	97.25%
2023	17,150,000[29]	19.4%
2024	18,720,000[30]	9.2%

In the last three years, Dubai saw an increase in 4 and 5 star hotels and number of rooms, but a decrease in standard hotel apartments. The total number of rooms increased by 9,098 from 2015 to 2017, an increase of 9.25%. Prior to the Expo 2020 hotels in Dubai were reducing room rates to stimulate demand as supply accelerated. Based on data of August 2019, Dubai hoteliers reported a 7.6% rise in supply against 7.4% increase in demand.^[31] Average room rates stood at AED 486 in June 2019 while in the same month of 2018 average room rates were at 544 AED.^[32] In July 2019, Dubai's Jumeirah Group LLC fired 500 people due to a decline in tourism. In the second quarter of 2019, hospitality sector has had the worst quarter since 2009.^[33]

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Rank	Country	6/2023	2022
1	India	1,223,000	1,842,000
5	Russia	616,000	758,000
4	United Kingdom	555,000	1,043,000
3	Saudi Arabia	538,000	1,216,000
2	Oman	511,000	1,311,000
6	United States	362,000	590,000
7	Germany	329,000	422,000
17	China	260,000	177,000
10	Iran	196,000	328,000
13	Israel	196,000	239,000
8	France	180,000	364,000
11	Egypt	168,000	288,000
12	Kuwait	152,000	260,000
9	Pakistan	152,000	356,000
14	Kazakhstan	145,000	234,000
15	Italy	130,000	212,000
19	Philippines	125,000	158,000
16	Australia	121,000	184,000
18	Canada	110,000	158,000
19	Japan	110,000	148,000

Sandboarding is a boardsport and extreme sport^[1] similar to snowboarding that involves riding down a sand dune while standing on a board, with both feet strapped in. Sand sledding can also be practised sitting down or lying on the belly or the back. It typically involves a sand sled, although it is also somewhat possible to use snow sleds or snowboards. The invention of modern sandboarding is largely attributed to Lon Beale, aka 'Doctor Dune', who began sandboarding in 1972 in California's Mojave Desert.

Sandboarding has adherents throughout the world, but is most prevalent in desert areas or coastal areas with beach dunes. It is less popular than snowboarding, partly because it is very difficult to build a mechanised ski lift on a sand dune, meaning participants must climb or ride a dune buggy or all-terrain vehicle back to the top of the dune. On the other hand, dunes are normally available year-round as opposed to ski resorts, which are seasonal.

The sandboard base is much harder than a snowboard, and is built mostly out of formica or laminex with special base materials now being made, that will slide on wet and dry sand. To glide in the sand, the board bottom is often waxed, usually with a paraffin-based sandboard wax, before a run. Afterwards, the bottom of the board may have a lightly sanded look to it. Most terrain sandboards are composed of hardwood ply, while 'full-size' sandboards are a wood, fiber glass, and plastic composite. However, a snowboarding base will sometimes work on steeper dunes as well.^[2]

Sandboarding is practised worldwide, with locations available on every continent except Antarctica. The World's Greatest Sandboarding Destinations lists sandboarding destinations in over 65 territories.^[3]

Sand boarding or sand sliding (Hawaiian: heʻe one) was a favourite beach pastime on the islands throughout the first half of the 20th century including the outbreak of World War II.^[4]

Drorbamidbar has sandboarding in Israel at Negev Desert not far from Ashalim in Ramat HaNegev.

Little Sahara on Kangaroo Island in South Australia is a sand dune system roughly covering two square kilometres (0.77 sq mi). The highest dune is approximately 70 metres (230 ft) above sea level.

Lucky Bay, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Kalbarri, in Western Australia, is another sandboarding hotspot. Sandboarding Tours are offered in the area.

The Stockton dunes, 2.3 hours north from Sydney. Stockton Bight Sand Dunes system is up to one kilometre (0.62 mi), 32 kilometres (20 mi) long, and covers an area of over 4,200 hectares (10,000 acres; 42,000,000 m²). The massive sand dunes climb up to 40 metres (130 ft) high. Located only minutes from the centre of Nelson Bay, it is the largest sand dune system in Australia.^[5]

Sandboarding sites in Egypt include the Great Sand Sea near Siwa Oasis واحة سيوة in Egypt's Western Desert, the Qattaniya القطانية sand dunes (1.5 h drive on/off-road from Cairo), El Safra الصفراء and Hadudah هدودة dunes midway between Dahab and St. Catherine in Sinai.

Namibia features sand-skiing, which is similar to sandboarding, performed with skis instead of a board. Most of the sand-skiing is performed in the Namib desert dunes around Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. With a special permit it is sometimes possible to sand-ski at the world's highest dunes in Sossusvlei.^[6] Henrik May, a German living in Namibia for some 10 years, set a Guinness World Record in speed sand-skiing on 6 June 2010. He reached a speed of 92.12 km/h (57.24 mph).^[7]

After some pioneers like Derek Bredenkamp who boarded Swakopmund around 1974, commercial operators in South Africa began offering sandboarding to tourists in 1994.^[8] In 2000 the Sandboarding South Africa league was established. Between 2002 and 2004 the South African Sandboarding League held competitions on the Matterhorn Dune located between Swakopmund and Walvis bay. Competition events included dual slalom, boarder cross and big air events. In 2005 and 2006 Alter Action held sandboarding competitions at Matterhorn but the competitions no longer formed part of the South African Sandboarding League during those years. The league collapsed, then the sport was revived again in 2007 with weekly sandboarding sessions in and around Cape Town and Gauteng.

Sand Master Park, located in Florence, Oregon is a dedicated sandboarding park and the first of its kind, featuring 200 acres (81 ha; 810,000 m²) of sculpted sand dunes and a full-time pro shop. Dune Riders International is the governing body for competitive sandboarding worldwide and sanctions events each season at Sand Master Park and around the world. Sand Master Park is also the factory outlet for the largest sandboard company in the world, Venomous Sandboards.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, near Kanab, Utah, permits sandboarding on roughly 2,000 acres of sand dunes within its boundaries.^[9] Utah also contains sand dunes near Salt Lake City, Lake Powell, and Moab. Additionally, the company Slip Face Sandboards is based in Provo, Utah.

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve near Alamosa, Colorado has sandboarding on what it calls the tallest dunes in North America.^[10] Sandboarding and skiing are permitted anywhere on the dunefield away from vegetated areas.^[11][12]

Peru is known for having large sand dunes in Ica, some reaching up to 2 km (1.2 miles). Duna Grande in Ica is the largest sand dune in the world. The Copa Sandboarding Perú (Peru – Sandboarding Cup) has been held near Paracas every year since 2009. Since 2017 the Sandboard World Cup is hosted in the region of Ica by InterSands.^[13] There are also great dunes near the capital city (Lima) in Chilca.

In Chile, sandboarding is practiced throughout the north of the country, including the Medanoso dunes in Copiapo (where the Dakar rally takes place), Puerto Viejo beach in Caldera, excellent dunes in Iquique, and some near Viña del Mar.

Nicaragua is home to Cerro Negro, the youngest volcano in Central America. Since it has steep slopes and volcanic sand, it is possible to sandboard down this active volcano.

A rather small sand mountain is the Monte Kaolino in Hirschau, Germany. Equipped with a 120-metre (390 ft) lift, it was the host of the annual Sandboarding World Championships until 2007.

The Dune of Pilat in France is an hours' drive from Bordeaux; it is the tallest dune in Europe, measuring 3 kilometres across, 500 metres wide and between 100 and 115 metres tall depending on the year.^[14]

Amothines is a small desert five kilometres (3 mi) from Katalakkos village in Limnos, Greece. There are many sand dunes there, where people can practice sandboarding.

Wales is home to the village of Merthyr Mawr that is 2+1⁄2 miles (4 km) from the town of Bridgend, the village is close to a beach and it is home to the "Big Dipper", the second largest sand dune in Europe.^[15]

Holywell, Cornwall is also home to a beach with a complex of sand dunes; in the summer and during peak times, local shops that cater for beach goers also sell sandboards.

The Braunton Burrows sand dunes on the Devon coast, was the filming location for where Alex Bird became the first sandboarder to be towed by a car on British shores.^[16]

In the North East region of the United Kingdom, there is a small beach at Seaton Sluice where people can sandboard. This is a good alternative to sledding, as there is insufficient snow to support sledding there, even though the UK has a rather cold climate, with chilly winters and cool summers.

Sandboarding in Russia began to develop and popularize in the village of Shoyna in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Local entrepreneur and public figure Fedor Shirokiy is a pioneer in this development. The Shoyna sand dunes are located above the Arctic Circle, offering a unique opportunity to master this sport in the extreme Arctic conditions.

• Sandboarding World Championship – The SWC was held annually in Hirschau (until 2007), Germany at Monte Kaolino, currently also the site of Europe's largest sand hill. Riders can board down dunes over 90 m (300 feet) tall, riding into a water landing site at the base of the hill. It has a sand lift, the only one in the world. Events include slalom (akin to snowboarding's parallel giant slalom), freestyle (similar to freestyle snowboarding) and sandboard cross (cf. snowboard cross).
• The current Sandboard World Cup is hosted in Ica - Peru every two years.
• Sand Master Jam – Annual sandboarding event that takes place in Florence, Oregon at Sand Master Park. This event occurs in late spring or early summer. The Sand Master Jam has been held since 1996.
• Pan-American Sandboarding Challenge – This event takes place in July in Aquiraz, Ceara, Brazil at Prainha's Beach. It features amateurs and professionals who wish to compete in freestyle and jump events.
• Sand Sports Super Show – Annual outdoor event for all sand sports, including sandboarding. This three-day event takes place in September in Costa Mesa, California at the Orange County Fair and Expo Center.
• Sand Spirit - Annual event that takes place at Monte Kaolino, Germany.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sandboarding.

• Sand-boarding.com