Dubai named world’s best city break destination, ahead of Paris, Boston and London

Premier Inn study finds travellers dream of an urban stay in the emirate due to its endless sunshine and luxurious lifestyle

New research ranks Dubai as the world's number one city break destination, ahead of second-placed Paris, France, and third-placed Boston, US. Photo: Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing

Dubai has come out on top in a new study of the most popular city break destinations in the world.

The emirate is coveted for its “glorious sunshine and glistening, luxurious lifestyle”, according to Premier Inn, which conducted the research.

Home to swanky resorts, high end retailers, upscale restaurants and pristine shoreline, the city was the number one choice for travellers from 21 countries.

Dubai is most popular with city break planners from Asia and Africa and is the top search destination on Google for people in South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Nigeria, India and the Maldives.

Using keyword data from Google, Premier Inn analysed city break search trends from 136 countries.

The UK’s largest hotel brand studied the number of Google searches for "things to do in …" to identify which city was most popular for travellers from each country.

While Dubai topped the rankings for the most popular city break destination worldwide, those living in the UAE are most keen to spend time in London. The UK capital was the most searched for city break destination for travellers in the emirates.

The top 10 city break destinations in the world

1. Dubai
2. Paris
3. Boston
4. Madrid
5. Singapore
6. London
7. Cape Town
8. Amsterdam
9. Copenhagen
10. Buenos Aires

Paris ranks as the second-most coveted urban destination, with travellers from 16 countries keen to visit the City of Love. European trip planners favour the French capital which topped search lists in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal.

Third-placed Boston is also the most popular city break destination in the US, topping the list in 12 countries. The Massachusetts city is the most searched for city in several North and Central American countries including Barbados, Canada and Grenada.

“City breaks have always remained a great holiday choice for many, with a mix of landmarks, nightlife, history and adventure, travellers can experience a range of different activities within a small area thanks to great transport links, meaning tourists can see more in a shorter time frame,” said a Premier Inn representative.