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Dubai’s Fundamental Hospitality reports record 1 million visitors as tourism surges 17%

“The surge in footfall and enthusiasm we’ve witnessed in 2025 is unlike anything I have experienced in my two decades in Dubai,” says the group’s Chairman

Dubai tourism
Dubai welcomed 5.31 million international visitors in the first quarter of 2025

UAE-born Fundamental Hospitality has recorded more than 1 million visitors across its global venues in the first four months of 2025, driven by Dubai’s tourism boom which saw international arrivals jump 17 per cent year-on-year, the company said on Monday.

The city welcomed 5.31 million international visitors in the first quarter of 2025, according to official tourism figures cited by the group, fuelling demand for the company’s portfolio of restaurants and entertainment venues.

The hospitality company, which operates brands including GAIA, Shanghai Me and La Maison Ani, reported particularly strong performance at Sirene by GAIA, its luxury beach club at J1 Beach, which attracted 210,000 visitors since opening earlier this year – averaging 1,750 guests daily.

“The surge in footfall and enthusiasm we’ve witnessed in 2025 is unlike anything I have experienced in my two decades in Dubai,” said Evgeny Kuzin, Chairman of Fundamental Hospitality.

Sirene by GAIA has become one of the city’s most exclusive venues, with lunch waitlists reportedly exceeding 3,000 people and weekend attendance reaching around 5,000 guests, the company said. Notable visitors have included Dubai’s Ruler Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid, singer Jennifer Lopez, and sports stars Jannik Sinner, Roger Federer and Anthony Joshua.

The group also highlighted the successful April launch of INA, its newest “Made in Dubai” concept, which it says has “cemented itself as a culinary hotspot” since opening.

Fundamental Hospitality announced an ambitious expansion programme for 2025, with plans to open several new venues including Shanghai Me in London, KIGO in Dubai, La Maison Ani in Monaco and Doha, Cipriani Dolci in Riyadh, and new GAIA restaurants in Miami, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain.

The company, established in 2011, develops hospitality concepts in the UAE and exports them to major cities worldwide, with its current portfolio including both home-grown brands and international franchises such as Cipriani Dubai.

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