Annual figures released by Dubai’s Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing show that 1.188 million UK visitors travelled to Dubai in 2015, an 11 per cent increase on the previous year.

Dubai maintains its position as the fourth most visited city in the world, attracting over 14.2 million overnight visitors in 2015, a strong 7.5 per cent increase over 2014.

Issam Kazim, chief executive of Dubai Tourism, said: “Once again the numbers show UK travellers consider Dubai a destination of choice.

“This summer alone, more than 250,000 British visitors enjoyed the excellent value deals on offer at stunning hotels and October saw our highest arrivals as families took to the city’s beaches and attractions during the school holidays.

“The UK also sustained its average length of stay at 4.5 nights.

“Dubai is well-known as a destination with excellent five-star hotels and this year we’ve seen particular strength in this area as UK visitor stays in these hotels rose 24 per cent.

“Given that more visitors from the UK than ever took advantage of the summer deals on offer across the city we believe this growth can be further attributed to people looking to enjoy five-star luxury at more affordable prices.

“We have also made strong efforts to diversify and increase the number of midmarket hotels while at the same time ensuring Dubai maintains its reputation as one of the world’s leading destinations for luxury.

“Hotel apartments now make up more than a quarter of total inventory, while hotels that are four-star or less account for nearly half.”

In 2016, Dubai Tourism will continue to focus on the key driving elements for the tourism sector with infrastructure and capacity enhancement investment is expected to gain momentum through more segment-specific offerings.

This will include culture and heritage attractions and family-oriented theme parks, the opening of Dubai Opera House, an enhanced festival and events line up as well as more restaurant and shopping options.