Dubai has long been a global travel magnet, but in 2025 the city (and its hospitality players) achieved a new level of visibility. At the 32nd edition of the World Travel Awards’ Middle East ceremony, Dubai’s infrastructure, hotels, resorts and service providers secured several key awards, underscoring the city’s role not just as a destination but as a standard-setter.
Perhaps most globally significant: Dubai itself was named “Middle East’s Leading Destination 2025”. That reflects not just its skyline and resorts, but the full breadth of experience — from desert adventures and cultural heritage to mega-events and luxury hospitality.
For travellers, this means choosing Dubai isn’t just picking a city to stay in — it’s selecting a place that is rated the region’s best all-round travel destination for the year.
In the realm of travel infrastructure, Dubai International Airport was named “Middle East’s Leading Airport 2025”.
For the traveller, this suggests that landing in Dubai brings more than convenience — the award signals quality across terminals, lounges, connectivity and overall passenger experience.
Among individual properties, the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai was honoured as “Middle East’s Leading Landmark Hotel 2025”.
This kind of accolade signals to the discerning traveller that the property is recognised not only for its luxury, but for its architectural presence, guest experience and status in the city.
In the growing serviced-apartment category, Cheval Maison Expo City Dubai was awarded “Middle East’s Leading Hotel Apartments 2025”.
For families or longer-stay travellers, this award suggests a standout property offering apartment-style accommodation with hotel-level amenities.
Other Notable Dubai / UAE Winners
Middle East’s Leading Tourist Board 2025
Dubai Tourism
Dubai’s Leading Resort
Atlantis Resort
Middle East’s Leading Airline Brand
Emirates
These recognitions matter for visitors in several ways:
• Confidence in quality: When a city and its major infrastructure win region-leading awards, it reassures travellers that they are choosing a destination with proven excellence.
• Diverse options rewarded: From landmark hotels to serviced apartments and airport hubs, the awards reflect different styles of travel – from luxury stays to practical longer stays.
• Trend indicators: Properties and services highlighted by these awards often set trends in guest experience, design, amenities and service quality.
• Benchmark for expectations: For anyone planning a trip to Dubai, knowing which hotels or services carry these top honours can help in choosing accommodation or travel links that deliver elevated experience.
• As Dubai continues to evolve, the 2025 World Travel Awards serve as both a recognition of what the city already offers and a promise of what’s to come. Whether landing at an award-winning airport, checking into a landmark hotel, or staying in a service-luxury apartment, travellers can look forward to a level of excellence that these awards highlight.
For anyone planning a trip to Dubai soon, paying attention to the winners from this year gives a smart starting point — because when hospitality is acknowledged at this level, it usually means the guest experience is exceptional.
For more details on all the winners see https://www.worldtravelawards.com/winners/2025/middle-east
