Dubai named the most viewed travel destination on TikTok

A news study looking at travel hotspots popular with Gen Z named the emirate as the top city on the video sharing app

Dubai is the most popular travel desintation on TikTok, according to a new study. Reuters

Dubai has been named the most viewed travel destination on TikTok, amassing more than 92 billion views on the video sharing app.

The emirate came out on top in a list of global travel destinations, put together by website airportparkingreservations.com.

The data looked at the number of views for major global cities, with Dubai coming out way in front. Researchers credited the city’s legion of attractions, such as Burj Khalifa and Atlantis, The Palm, as making it a content hotspot.

People enjoying the fountain show in Dubai at night. Alamy

Barcelona came in second with 61.3 billion views, helped by tourist hotspots including Basilica de la Sagrada Familia and Camp Nou stadium, home of Barcelona FC.

Coming in third place was UK capital London, with 42.7 billion TikTok views. The city’s art and culture landmarks and museums proved to be content hotspots, as well as its architecture, parks and green spaces.

However, London came out on top with Instagram users, with more than 158 million posts tagging the destination on the social media site.

The broader study looked to focus specifically on cities that are popular with Gen Z travellers, and took in several other factors aside from social media views to give cities an overall global ranking, including safety rating, Google search volume, attractions and restaurants per 100,000 people and hostels.

Dubai ranked in third place overall, with a rating of 7.1 out of 10. Barcelona came just ahead with 7.26, and London being named the overall the best city for Gen Z travellers. Paris and Amsterdam rounded out the top five. Prague, Berlin, Rome, Milan and Bangkok made up the top 10.

It is not the first time Dubai has performed favourably in travel lists in 2022. In July, it was named as the most popular city break destination in the world by hotel chain Premier Inn.

The emirate was coveted for its “glorious sunshine and glistening, luxurious lifestyle”, and was the number one choice for travellers from 21 countries.

Some of Dubai's most popular tourist destinations — in pictures

The Museum of the Future, with its remarkable architecture, has quickly become a highlight for visitors to Dubai. Photo: DTCM

The Wild Wadi Waterpark in Jumeirah is one of the attractions that make Dubai a family-friendly destination. Photo: Wild Wadi

The shops, cafes, bars and restaurants along Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai are popular among tourists. Photo: Reuters

A jump at Skydive Dubai has become a must-do for daredevil visitors. Photo: Skydive Dubai

Admirers will say that the Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world at about 830 metres, is Dubai's most famous tourist attraction. Photo: Dar Al Arkan

Visitors can enjoy an almost immersive experience of water and light at the Dubai Fountain. Photo: Alamy

A visit to Dubai often involves a trip to Al Fahidi Fort, with its dhow installation to celebrate the Gulf's maritime history. Photo: Alamy

The ski lift at Ski Dubai inside the Mall of the Emirates. With its 22,500 square metres of skiiing, the centre is arguably one of the Gulf region's most eye-catching and unexpected attractions. Photo: AP

Bluewaters Island, where the Ain Dubai wheel is located. Photo: Reuters

One of the pods on the Ain Dubai that offer visitors sweeping views of the city and Arabian Gulf waters. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Ain Dubai lights up. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Lost Chambers Aquarium at Atlantis, The Palm. Photo: Atlantis, The Palm