Dubai has ranked as the world’s most popular destination for holidaymakers in Tripadvisor’s 2023 Travellers' Choice Awards.
Known for its luxury hotels, record-breaking buildings, traditional souqs and family-friendly attractions, Dubai has retained the title for the second year running.
The annual TripAdvisor awards are based on millions of reviews submitted on the platform by the global travel community.
“Dubai is a destination that mixes modern culture with history, and adventure with world-class shopping and entertainment,” said Tripadvisor. “If you’re looking for thrills, you can float above the desert dunes in a hot-air balloon, climb aboard a high-speed ride at IMG Worlds of Adventure or skydive over the Palm Jumeirah."
This year's winners were selected based on the quality and quantity of ratings from travellers for accommodation, restaurants and things to do in destinations worldwide between November 2021 and October 2022.
“The top ranking by global travellers reflects the vision of the leadership to transform Dubai into the world’s top destination for tourism and business, as embodied by a key goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. The Agenda’s objective of consolidating Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top three cities for tourism and business signifies the leadership’s determination to mark Dubai out as a clear leader not only as a leisure and lifestyle destination but also as a hub for connectivity, commerce and investment," said Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai.
"Dubai’s diverse tourism attractions and hospitality offerings, combined with its emergence as a leading venue for global events and a magnet for talent and enterprise will continue to reinforce its status as a favourite among global travellers over the next decade."
The world's second-most popular destination, according to the travel community, was Bali.
The picturesque island destination had a slump in tourism during the pandemic because of strict Covid-19 regulations in place across Indonesia. But the tourism hotspot has recovered well and Tripadvisor called the destination “a living postcard, an Indonesian paradise that feels like a fantasy".
"Soak up the sun on a stretch of fine white sand, or commune with tropical creatures as you dive along coral ridges or the colourful wreck of a WWII warship,” it said.
Bali also topped Airbnb's recently released most-searched-for destinations list, with the accommodation platform finding that international travellers were flocking to Kuta on the island's south-western coast.
The UK capital ranked third, and retained the number one spot in Europe. “From Shoreditch’s swaggering style to Camden’s punky vibe and chic Portobello Road, London is many worlds in one," said Tripadvisor. "The city’s energy means that no two days are the same.”
Rome in Italy ranked fourth and the French capital Paris ranked fifth.
Tripadvisor's most popular destinations in 2023
- Dubai, UAE
- Bali, Indonesia
- London, UK
- Rome, Italy
- Paris, France
- Cancun, Mexico
- Crete, Greece
- Marrakesh, Morocco
- Dominican Republic
- Istanbul, Turkey
“We saw a resurgence of travel demand in 2022, and the outlook for this year is bright,” said Sarah Firshein, head of editorial at Tripadvisor.
“Long-haul trips have made a comeback, and we’re seeing a lot of travellers excited to plan trips to Asia and the Pacific region for the first time in several years. Cities like Paris and London, which may have taken a back seat to less populous destinations throughout the pandemic, are back on travellers' minds, while far-reaching parts of the United States like Alaska and previously restricted countries like Cuba are also piquing a lot of interest.”
Cuba is Tripadvisor's trending destination in 2023
The travel website also listed its up-and-coming destinations for this year.
Cuba ranked first in the Trending Destinations category, with the greatest year-on-year growth in interest. “The island offers fascinating opportunities for cultural exchange … and some simply amazing beaches. Havana is a balance of old-world architecture and contemporary nightlife,” said Tripadvisor.
It was followed by Hoi An in Vietnam in second place, and the East African island nation Mauritius, which ranked third. Asia dominated the category, accounting for half of the top 10 spots with Siem Reap, Chiang Mai, Baku and Kathmandu all making it to the top 10 trending destinations list.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Company%20profile
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The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
KINGDOM%20OF%20THE%20PLANET%20OF%20THE%20APES
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Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
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It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
RESULTS
1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m
Winner: Lady Parma, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
2.15pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m
Winner: Tabernas, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash.
2.45pm: Handicap Dh95,000 1,200m
Winner: Night Castle, Connor Beasley, Satish Seemar.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,400m
Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
3.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Mutawakked, Szczepan Mazur, Musabah Al Muhairi.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner: Tafaakhor, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner: Cranesbill, Fabrice Veron, Erwan Charpy.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
THE LOWDOWN
Romeo Akbar Walter
Rating: 2/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Robby Grewal
Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff and Sikandar Kher
Read more about the coronavirus
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
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