page_title: Dubai
section_title: Tourism and retail
hierarchical_section_title: Dubai / Economy / Tourism and retail
caption_attribution_description: Català: emiratos arabes
context_page_description: Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai.
  Located in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula on the coast of the Persian Gulf, Dubai aims to be the business hub of Western Asia. It is also a major global transport hub for passengers and cargo. Oil revenue helped accelerate the development of the city, which was already a major mercantile hub. Dubai's oil output made up 2.1 percent of the Persian Gulf emirate's economy in 2008. A centre for regional and international trade since the early 20th century, Dubai's economy relies on revenues from trade, tourism, aviation, real estate, and financial services. According to government data, the population of Dubai is estimated at around 3.39 million as of January 2020.
context_section_description: Tourism is an important part of the Dubai government's strategy to maintain the flow of foreign cash into the emirate. Dubai's lure for tourists is based mainly on shopping, but also on its possession of other ancient and modern attractions. As of 2018, Dubai is the fourth most-visited city in the world based on the number of international visitors and the fastest growing, increasing by a 10.7% rate. The city hosted 14.9 million overnight visitors in 2016, and is expected to reach 20 million tourists by 2020.
  Dubai has been called the "shopping capital of the Middle East". Dubai alone has more than 70 shopping centres, including the world's largest shopping centre, Dubai Mall. Dubai is also known for the historical souk districts located on either side of its creek. Traditionally, dhows from East Asia, China, Sri Lanka, and India would discharge their cargo and the goods would be bargained over in the souks adjacent to the docks. Dubai Creek played a vital role in sustaining the life of the community in the city and was the resource which originally drove the economic boom in Dubai. As of September 2013, Dubai creek has been proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many boutiques and jewellery stores are also found in the city. Dubai is also referred to as "the City of Gold" as the Gold Souk in Deira houses nearly 250 gold retail shops.
  Dubai Creek Park in Dubai Creek also plays a vital role in Dubai tourism as it showcase some of the most famous tourist attractions in Dubai such as Dolphinarium, Cable Car, Camel Ride, Horse Carriage and Exotic Birds Shows.
  Dubai has a wide range of parks like Safa park, Mushrif park, Hamriya park, etc. Each park is uniquely distinct from the other. Mushrif park showcases different houses around the world. A visitor can check out the architectural features of the outside as well as the inside of each house.
  Some of the most popular beaches in Dubai are Umm Suqeim Beach, Al Mamzar Beach Park, JBR Open Beach, Kite Beach, Black Palace Beach and Royal Island Beach Club.
  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. The average spend per day was found to be $553.
  In October 2019, Dubai loosened its liquor laws for the first time in history, under which it allowed tourists to purchase alcohol from state-controlled stores. Previously, alcohol was only accessible for the locals with special licences. The crucial policy shift came as the United Arab Emirates witnessed severe economic crisis that led to a drop in alcohol sales by volume in a decade.
  In 2020, a Customs investigation highlighted that an Indian native and a major hawala dealer, Rabins Hameed, financed smuggling of gold through diplomatic channels and other smuggling networks from Dubai. He was also involved in the 2015 Nedumbassery gold smuggling case, where 1,500 kg of gold was smuggled in two years. A Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) was issued against Rabins and one of his partners, Faisal. Besides, INTERPOL was also being approached for extradition of the two accused, who were operating from the UAE.
caption: View of the Palm Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab
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