Picture used for illustrative purposes.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Dubai welcomed over 4.67 million international visitors in the first quarter of 2023, according to the authorities in the Emirate.

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, said on Twitter, “In the first quarter of 2023, Dubai solidified its position as the premier global tourism destination by hosting 4.67 million international visitors.

This marks a remarkable 17% increase from the same period in the previous year and is a testament to the successful implementation of the D33 Agenda's forward-thinking strategy. Fueled by its thriving economy, Dubai remains at the forefront of the global tourism industry's recovery.”

Dubai residents have welcomed the remarkable growth in the tourism industry.

Suherman Aminsyah said, “Alhamdulillah, it becomes something that is beneficial to the whole nature and everything in it.”

Morad wrote on Twitter, “The land of peace and love deserves more and more. In it are people who love life, and in it is the grave of a great man whose descendants inherited the continuity of life. May God have mercy on Sheikh Zayed's soul.”

Karin Dinter said, “Thank you for this wonderful and personal welcome! Dubai is a wonderful city with wonderful people who make Dubai such an extraordinary city. A great city, stunning country and great people, with different cultures that definitely speak for a visit.”

Swetalika said, “Dubai is beautiful. I have an American friend. I’ll go with him to Dubai.”

A recent study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) entitled: “Cities of Choice: Are People Happy Where They Live?,” revealed that Dubai and Abu Dhabi are among the 10 most desirable destinations in the world to live in terms of economic opportunities, quality of life, growth and development.

The two cities ranked 8th and 9th respectively.

The March 2023 study covered why people move to these cities, and the measures and policies that officials there can take to attract new residents and motivate existing ones to stay. Overall, Boston Consulting’s rankings reflect the ability of cities to meet the expectations of their residents.

The researchers surveyed about 50,000 people in 79 cities, to finally be able to evaluate the cities according to more than 150 economic, social and political metrics, which included five main points, which are “Economic Opportunities,” “Quality of Life,” “Social Capital,” “Interaction with Authorities,” and “Speed of Change,” in addition to 26 sub-points, such as safety, housing, and the ability to influence events.