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Wed, Dec 10, 2025 | Jumada al-Thani 20, 1447 | Fajr 05:31 | DXB 
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Dubai's 'desert luxe' trend: VIP safaris, glamping, stargazing woo repeat tourists
Luxury desert safari camps in intimate settings, with stargazing thrown in as an additional surprise — service providers are going all out to impress tourists
Ultra luxurious experiences and sporting events are becoming increasingly popular among tourists coming to Dubai. Visitors are now looking to explore the deserts of the emirate in a more intimate fashion and with VIP amenities, according to Shahab Shayan from Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing.
Travel experts are also varying their offerings to cater to repeat customers.
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“For example, Platinum Heritage showcases the traditional way of enjoying the desert,” he said. “They talk about falconry and camels. Visitors sit in a tent and enjoy Emirati cuisine. It is a different side which is more experiential. Glamping in the desert is also becoming very popular. We are showcasing the different elements of the desert but in a more luxurious way.”
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He was speaking on the sidelines of the World Travel Market (WTM) that began in London on Tuesday. Dubai is participating with 71 partners. His observations were echoed by service providers as well.
“We have these luxury small desert safari camps in intimate settings for families and VIPs,” said Chris Farrell, Director of Sales at Desert Adventures Tourism. “Dubai has a lot of repeat businesses. So, you find a lot of clients that are looking for something different. What we try and do in our experiences is do the regular tours, like a safari, but have little hidden surprises."
He added that stargazing was also a popular addition to a desert safari that elevated the experience. “We'll bring an astronomer in, and he'll explain the constellations. These different surprises don't cost so much but offer a different experience within a safari that they've done before.”
Sports tourism
Chris noted that sports tourism was also growing rapidly in Dubai.
“For example, golf tourism is very popular, especially among visitors from the UK,” he said. “In November, we have the DP World Tour Championship. We offer visitors a chance to go and watch all the famous golfers play. Then the day after they finish playing, they can actually play golf on that golf course. So we try and give unique selling points to our customers.”
He said that his company had seen a 40 per cent year-on-year increase in people travelling to Dubai for golf since 2021. Last year, Desert Adventures Tourism catered to at least 9,000 customers who travelled to the emirate to witness various sporting events, including the F1, golf, marathons and in some cases, even a chess tournament.
Value for money
According to Adam El-Masri, Market Manager-UK, Ireland and Scandinavia of Arabian Adventures, travellers want value for their money when visiting the UAE.
“We are seeing a mix of tourists, some of whom are looking for ultra luxurious experiences like renting a yacht while others are looking for more mass market options,” he said. “All the travellers want good value for money, irrespective of what they choose.”
This is why Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism is also promoting several hotels which offer great value for money. “One of the biggest parts that we showcase are the three-star hotel categories, which offer five-star quality of service,” he said. ‘For example if you take a great hotel like Rove La Mer that has beach access, and you compare it to any three-star across the world, it's actually a very, very competitive offering, from price to the size of the room; the hospitality you get.”
He added that there are 812 hotels in the UAE with over 150,000 rooms. The average occupancy rate for this year if it is around 78 per cent — a two per cent increase from last year.
Nasreen Abdulla
Nasreen Abdulla is a Special Correspondent covering food, tech and human interest stories. When not challenged by deadlines, you’ll find her pulling off submissions on the jiu jitsu mats.
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