“The impressive visitor numbers are set to increase even further next year, as we welcome 192 nations for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration at Expo 2020 Dubai. Sanjive Khosla, chief commercial officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Dubai continues to flourish as a world-class destination for both leisure and business travellers – as demonstrated by its status as the planet’s fourth most visited city in Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index 2019. As the official payment technology partner for Expo 2020, we look forward to delivering priceless experiences to millions of visitors from across the globe as Dubai hosts the largest event ever staged in the region.” It is vital for us to understand how travel impacts destinations for the better and the challenges it poses, to ensure local leaders have the information and solutions they need to succeed. “In today’s interconnected world, travel has become an important part of how we work and how we live. As the most attractive destination in the Middle East and Africa region for international visitors, Dubai connects people from all over the world with a diverse range of offerings for leisure and business travellers alike,” said Girish Nanda, general manager, UAE & Oman, Mastercard.

“Once again, Dubai has earned and maintained its position as the fourth most visited city in the world in Mastercard’s Global Destinations Cities Index. The UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi, was ranked as the fastest-growing city in the Middle East and Africa, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.7 per cent between 20 in overnight arrivals. The city welcomed 15.93 million international overnight visitors last year and the city is expected to continue building on its success in 2019. Dubai has retained its position as the fourth most visited city in the world for the fifth year in a row, according to Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index (GDCI) 2019.

Global destinations cities index (gdci)