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In a boost to Dubai’s GDP, DXB sets record with 44.9 million guests in first half

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DXB traffic

Dubai International (DXB) has raised the bar on its contribution to Dubai’s economy by welcoming a record 44.9 million guests during the first six months of this year.

Marking an 8% year-on-year increase in guests, DXB has established its position as a globally preferred gateway, boosted by strong connectivity with key international markets, while reaffirming its central role in supporting Dubai’s economic growth.

Dubai attracted 9.31 million international visitors in H1 2024, reflecting its burgeoning appeal as a global hub for talent, enterprises, and investors. These figures, recently released by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, tie in closely with the growth of Dubai’s GDP, which reached AED 115 billion in Q1 2024, up 3.2% from the previous year.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, commented, “The record-breaking performance in the first half of this year highlights our strategic importance as a global aviation hub. Dubai is at the forefront of global cities when it comes to attracting talent, businesses, and tourists from around the world, and we are proud to be the gateway to the city, driving growth and enhancing the airport experience for every guest.  Strong demand from key source markets such as India and the gradual but certain resurgence of markets such as China, have been instrumental in our success. We have a very optimistic outlook for the remainder of the year, and we are on track to break records with 91.8 million annual guests forecasted for 2024.”

Established and growing markets

The size and significance of DXB’s established and growing markets including South Asia, Western Europe, the GCC, and East Asia has played a crucial role in the airport’s continued success. In the first half of 2024, India remains DXB’s top destination country with 6.1 million passengers, while traffic from China exceeded 1 million passengers, representing 80% year-on-year growth and a 90% recovery compared to 2019 levels.

DXB’s top destination countries after India are Saudi Arabia with 3.7 million guests, the United Kingdom with 2.9 million guests and Pakistan with 2.3 million guests. Other significant markets include the United States (1.7 million guests), Russia (1.3 million), and Germany (1.3 million). The top three city destinations were London with 1.8 million guests, Riyadh (1.6 million), and Mumbai (1.2 million).

DXB is connected to 269 destinations across 106 countries, served by 101 international airlines, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a leading global business and logistics hub.

Key figures

The total number of flight movements reached 216,000, a 7.2% increase compared to the first six months of last year. The busiest month was January with 7.9 million guests.

DXB efficiently managed 39.7 million bags in the first half of the year, a 6.7% year-on-year increase, marking the highest-ever baggage volume handled in the first half of the year. Highlighting the airport’s commitment to operational excellence, impressively, 92% of all arriving baggage was delivered to guests terminating at DXB within 45 minutes of the aircraft arriving on stand.

The average number of guests per aircraft movement was 213, and the load factor remained steady at 77% compared to H1 2023. Direct traffic accounted for 56% of the total, witnessing a slight increase, while transfer traffic comprised 44%.

Meanwhile, during the second quarter of 2024, the airport saw 21.8 million guests, an increase of 7.5% compared to the same period last year and total movements were recorded at 107,000.  

Enhancing the guest experience

As part of Dubai Airports’ continuous efforts to enhance the guest experience, with a focus on operational excellence and seamless travel experiences, new developments will be rolled out in the coming months. These include colour-coded car parks for easier navigation, a new signature aroma in Al Majlis to create a welcoming atmosphere befitting the VIP facility, and an advanced queue management system.

The real-time monitoring system used at DXB helps the airport anticipate and prevent queues from building up across touchpoints, ensuring a smoother and more efficient journey for all guests. During H1, 98% of guests experienced less than 10 minutes of wait times at departure passport control and the same percentage waited less than 15 minutes at arrivals passport control.  95% of guests at departure security screening waited less than three minutes.

Hospitality

TWG Tea Unveils the TWG Tea Gallery, Its Largest Flagship and First-Ever TWG Tea Museum at Singapore Changi Airport

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TWG Tea, the finest luxury tea brand in the world, unveils its largest global flagship, TWG Tea Gallery, at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3, marking a significant milestone in the brand’s international growth. Welcoming travellers around the clock, the TWG Tea Gallery is strategically located within one of the world’s leading aviation hubs, underscoring TWG Tea’s continued investment in travel retail as a key pillar of its global expansion strategy. Spanning 2,700 square feet beneath a soaring 23-foot-high ceiling, the new flagship represents the brand’s most ambitious retail expression to date, setting a new benchmark for luxury tea in the global travel retail landscape.

Envisioned as an immersive expression of TWG Tea’s craftsmanship and savoir-faire, this destination invites discerning travellers into a luminous world where rare harvests, exquisite blends and timeless rituals converge. Its landmark TWG Tea Museum showcases more than 170 antique tea wares and over 50 antique Russian samovars from the 17th to 20th centuries, personally curated by the brand over the past 15 years from around the world. TWG Tea Gallery also introduces a selection of exclusive creations, including the Grand Voyage Tea from the Grand Mode Tea Collection, the Singapore Surprise Gift Set, and specially created tea-infused macarons, ice cream and sorbet.

Bringing together the Tea Boutique, curated tea accessories, bespoke gifting and a Takeaway experience, this flagship also introduces Singapore’s only Tea-Infused Ice Cream & Sorbet concept, designed for travellers on the go. An impressive tea wall displaying more than 1,200 tea tins anchors the space, transforming the space into a compelling new expression of TWG Tea for today’s global traveller.

“The TWG Tea Gallery represents the most definitive expression of TWG Tea to date. More than a Tea Boutique, the flagship brings the past, present and future of tea into one immersive experience, celebrating the stories, traditions and artistry that have shaped tea over the centuries, brought to life through its landmark TWG Tea Museum. Singapore has remained central to TWG Tea since its founding, and we are honoured to present our largest global flagship at Changi Airport, an icon of aviation excellence and an extraordinary platform to bring the world of TWG Tea to travellers from around the world.”
—Taha Bouqdib, President & CEO of V3 Gourmet and Co-Founder of TWG Tea

“Changi Airport is proud to be home to TWG Tea’s largest flagship store in the world and its first-ever TWG Tea Museum. As one of Singapore’s most recognised brands, TWG Tea offers travellers a uniquely Singapore experience. Together with TWG Tea, we are delighted to introduce a collection of exclusives created specially for Changi Airport, including Singapore’s only tea-infused ice cream and sorbet concept. This new flagship transforms a retail visit into an immersive journey through the heritage, artistry and culture of tea, reflecting the innovation and hospitality that define both TWG Tea and Changi.”
—
Hung Jean, Managing Director of Airside Concessions at Changi Airport Group

A Voyage Through Design

This location within Changi Airport was chosen to house TWG Tea Museum to form a defining part of the flagship experience, showcasing more than 170 antique tea wares and decorative objects spanning cultures and eras. The collection offers a compelling window into the artistry and cultures that have shaped tea over the centuries, adding a rich traditional dimension to the contemporary travel retail experience.

Among its highlights are Yixing clay teapots, traditionally marked by their makers and prized for their craftsmanship and provenance, alongside Chinese and Western tea wares tracing evolving traditions of form and decoration from the 18th century to the present day. Blue-and-white ceramics shaped by Chinese-Islamic artistic exchange sit alongside porcelain once prized in Europe as “white gold,” revealing the movement of ideas and aesthetics across cultures through the rituals of tea.

The collection also includes more than 50 antique samovars from Russia, with notable 19th- and early-20th-century examples from the celebrated workshops of Tula and beyond. Works by makers such as the Batashev and Shemarin brothers bear distinctive hallmarks attesting to their provenance and craftsmanship, offering a further perspective on the decorative traditions surrounding tea.

This dialogue between cultures continues in the flagship’s design, crowned by a hand-painted ceiling depicting a luminous world tea map. As its defining architectural feature, the composition traces the global journey of tea through intricate motifs and rich colour, extending the museum’s narrative of cultural exchange into the contemporary setting of Changi Airport Terminal 3.

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Hospitality

MI AMOR: ORILLA INTRODUCES A NEW WEEKLY LADIES’ NIGHT IN JVT

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Orilla is turning Wednesday nights into an occasion with the launch of Mi Amor, a new weekly ladies’ night bringing together free-flowing drinks, live entertainment and an elevated late-night atmosphere at the restaurant’s rooftop setting in Jumeirah Village Triangle.

Launching on Wednesday, 7 October from 7:00pm onwards, Mi Amor invites ladies to dress up, gather their favorite people and settle into an evening designed around good energy, flowing drinks and memorable moments.

Set on the 27th floor of Hotel Local, Orilla provides the backdrop for the new weekly ritual, combining panoramic surroundings with the restaurant’s lively Latin-inspired atmosphere. For the launch evening, guests can expect free-flowing drinks for ladies, sensational entertainment throughout the night and a room dressed for the occasion.

More than simply a midweek drinks offer, Mi Amor is designed as an opportunity to make Wednesday feel like the start of the weekend. From the first cocktail to the final song, the evening brings together music, entertainment and an upbeat social atmosphere for groups of friends looking to make the most of their night.

The launch will set the tone for what guests can expect from Mi Amor as it becomes a regular fixture at Orilla — a night built around celebration, connection and a little indulgence.

Mi Amor Ladies’ Night launches on Wednesday, 7 October, from 7:00pm onwards, with free-flowing drinks available for ladies and entertainment throughout the evening.

Event Details

  • What: Mi Amor Ladies’ Night | When: Every Wednesday, launching 7 October 2026 | Time: From 7:00pm onwards | Where: Orilla, 27th Floor, Hotel Local, Jumeirah Village Triangle, Dubai | Ladies’ Offer: Free-flowing drinks | Entertainment: Throughout the evening | Reservations: +971 4 575 2986 / +971 55 104 7521 | Email: reservation@orillarestaurant.com
  • Limited tables are available. Guests are encouraged to reserve in advance and join Orilla for the first taste of Mi Amor. 
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Hospitality

From AMAYA to MYA: Dubai Mall Dining Destination Refines Its Global Identity

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AMAYA is now MYA. As the brand expands its regional and international presence, a unified name gives every location one voice and every guest one clear promise. MYA supports consistency across its growing portfolio of destinations while preserving the energy, hospitality and attention to detail established in Dubai.

The Dubai-born dining and lifestyle brand has refined its name as part of its continued growth: one concise name that can be recognized, remembered and expressed with equal confidence in every market. MYA is shorter by design, creating greater clarity across destinations, partnerships, communications and digital platforms.

The refinement is precise. MYA carries forward the same founder and leadership, the same team, the same concept, the same culinary direction, the same standards and the same distinctive guest experience. Everything that earned the trust of AMAYA’s guests remains at the heart of MYA.

“Strong brands grow through clarity, consistency and trust. MYA gives the name we have built a sharper global expression. Our people, standards and guest experience remain exactly the same. One name. One vision. One uncompromising standard, built in Dubai and continuing forward as MYA.”               

–  Murat Tutuncu and Moe Ezzat  | Founders & CEO, MYA

MYA’s purpose is clear – to give the established Dubai-born hospitality brand a shorter and more consistent name as it grows across destinations. The shorter name increases recognition, the unified name strengthens consistency, and the same standards give the brand the foundation to grow confidently across cultures and geographies.

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