Dubai: A record 92.3 million passengers travelled through Dubai’s international airport last year, its operator announced on Thursday, underscoring the Gulf city’s economic boom.
This figure broke the previous high of 89.1 million in 2018, Dubai Airports said, despite regional tensions caused by the Gaza war and last April’s unprecedented floods that severely disrupted operations.
The United Arab Emirates city, located between Asia, Europe, and Africa, has now been ranked as the world’s busiest international air hub for a decade.
In a statement, Dubai’s ruler and UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum called the airport a “global success story” and said it was targeting 400 international destinations, up from the current 272.
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths expressed confidence in surpassing 100 million passengers by 2027.
Dubai, now expecting competition from a major new airport being built in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is also planning a $35 billion expansion and relocation to Al Maktoum International Airport on the city’s outskirts.
The trade, tourism, and business hub is also witnessing record real estate prices and soaring population growth, driven by the UAE’s efforts to diversify its economy away from oil.
