Dubai, With Open Arms

What will 2026 in Dubai offer for Malaysian travellers?

In 2026, travel is no longer defined by distance or novelty. It is defined by alignment — with values, with rhythm, with the way people want to live, even briefly, when they are away from home.

For Malaysian travellers, Dubai continues to hold relevance not because it changes quickly, but because it adapts thoughtfully. The city offers a rare combination of cultural familiarity and global openness, where Muslim-friendly practices are not curated add-ons but part of daily life, and where safety, order, and hospitality are felt rather than advertised. This sense of ease allows travellers to arrive without friction, especially families and multi-generational groups for whom comfort and trust shape every decision. Dubai’s ability to be both expansive and reassuring is what sustains its appeal beyond trend cycles.

Photo above:  Shahab Shayan, Regional Director, Asia Pacific Region, International Operations at Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)

What distinguishes Dubai today is its growing emphasis on experience over display. Heritage districts such as Al Fahidi and Al Shindagha invite visitors into layered histories of trade, migration, and memory, while desert landscapes and old-city culinary trails offer encounters that are intimate rather than overwhelming. These are not experiences designed to impress at speed, but to be inhabited slowly. For Malaysian travellers increasingly drawn to meaning, shared time, and emotional resonance, this shift reflects a deeper understanding of why people travel at all.

Accessibility reinforces this relationship. Direct flights from Kuala Lumpur, visa-free entry, and a seamless transport ecosystem remove logistical strain, allowing journeys to unfold with clarity and calm. At the same time, Dubai’s accommodation landscape — spanning modest stays to refined luxury — reflects a city that welcomes visitors across budgets without compromising service or dignity. Innovation, from contactless hotel systems to integrated travel technologies, enhances convenience without eroding human connection, a balance few global cities manage well.

Looking ahead to 2026, Dubai’s long-term promise lies in its commitment to inclusivity and responsibility. Initiatives supporting accessible travel, alongside sustainability efforts that prioritise regeneration over excess, signal a city thinking beyond immediacy. For Malaysian travellers, Dubai offers more than a destination shaped by ambition. It offers a place where familiarity, care, and possibility coexist — and where each return visit feels considered, not assumed.

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About the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)

The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) supports the Government of Dubai in positioning the city as a leading global centre for business, investment, and tourism. Guided by the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, DET works to strengthen Dubai’s economic and tourism competitiveness while advancing the city’s long-term growth and global standing.

DET plays a central role in developing and promoting Dubai’s diversified, service-based economy, with a focus on innovation, talent attraction, and productivity. It also leads efforts to showcase Dubai as a world-class destination to visit, live, and work in, highlighting the city’s lifestyle, cultural diversity, and quality of life.

As the principal authority overseeing Dubai’s business and tourism sectors, DET is responsible for planning, regulation, development, and marketing. Its portfolio includes key entities across economic development, tourism promotion, business licensing, consumer protection, festivals, and tourism education, ensuring a coordinated approach to Dubai’s economic and destination strategy.