Dubai’s international visitor numbers grew 6.2% Y-o-Y to a new record in 2017 as the emirate inches closer to achieving its target of welcoming 20mn travellers annually by 2020, according to Helal Almarri, director general of Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism). Dubai received 15.8 tourists in 2017, up from 14.9mn in 2016, Dubai Tourism said. The three top source markets – India, Saudi Arabia and the UK – retained their spots. Indian visitor numbers to Dubai grew 15% Y-o-Y and crossed the 2mn market, the first for any country in a single year. The number of Saudi visitors dropped 7% Y-o-Y to 1.53mn but remained the biggest Arabian Gulf market. The number of UK visitors inched up 2% Y-o-Y to 1.27mn despite the impact of Brexit on outbound travel.