How to target tourist season in the UAE

From October to March the UAE welcomes millions of visitors who stay longer, spend more and actively explore the country. For brands this period is a powerful window to build awareness, drive store visits and grow online sales through outdoor advertising.

Why tourist season from October to March is so valuable

The UAE climate is cooler from October through March, which encourages outdoor movement and sightseeing. Malls, beaches, marinas and attractions are busy. Roads between airports, city centres and resorts carry heavy traffic all day.

Across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the northern emirates this means

• Higher impressions for static billboards and unipoles
• Longer dwell time for digital screens
• More eyes on lamppost banners, mupis and street furniture
• Strong visibility for taxi and bus wraps as tourists move around

Many visitors also arrive with a spending mindset, ready to book restaurants, buy fashion and beauty, upgrade tech, explore real estate or try new financial services. Outdoor media can catch these decisions in real time.

Map your campaign to key tourist touchpoints

Airports and arrivals

Tourist journeys usually begin at Dubai International, Al Maktoum, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah airports. High impact airport formats and digital screens can introduce your brand before visitors even reach the city.

Pair airport visibility with campaigns inside taxis and on main arterial roads to keep your brand in view from runway to hotel lobby.

Main roads and city gateways

Sheikh Zayed Road, key Dubai highways, Abu Dhabi Corniche routes and major inter city roads are vital during tourist season. Large format billboards and unipoles build fame quickly for hotels, attractions, malls and fast moving consumer brands.

Large formats structures where your brand can dominate:

• Billboards
• Unipoles

These locations are ideal for brand awareness, launch messages and simple promotional offers that work in multiple languages.

Neighbourhoods malls and attractions

Once visitors settle into their plans, focus on street level visibility in the areas they explore most.

Get your brand ready for these attractive outdoor formats:

• Lampposts
• Mupis
• Mall advertising

Lamppost banners guide people along beachfronts and city streets. Mupis and mall panels support store findability, time limited offers and wayfinding messages near your outlets.

Choose formats that suit tourist behaviour

High impact billboards and unipoles

Use large formats on highways and city gateways to

• Announce new store openings
• Promote hotel and resort brands
• Showcase new products for fashion, jewellery, automotive and tech
• Build trust for finance, insurance and real estate brands

Simple creative works best, with one clear visual and a short line that is easy for non native English speakers to understand.

Lamppost and street level formats

Lampposts and street furniture are perfect for

• Highlighting offers close to point of sale
• Directing tourists to nearby malls or attractions
• Supporting seasonal themes such as New Year, shopping festivals or sports events

They can also be used in sequences, so that visitors see your brand multiple times on a single walk or drive.

Transport and digital out of home

Tourists use taxis, ride hailing cars, buses, trams and the metro heavily, especially in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Wraps and interior panels keep your brand visible during these journeys.

Learn how to target tourists at all of their transport touchpoints:

• Transport advertising
• Taxi ads
• Bus ads
• Digital out of home

Digital out of home also lets you adapt messages by time of day, day of week or location, which is especially useful during busy tourist months.

Plan timing across the season

Tourist season has different peaks, so adjust your plan across the months.

• October and November
• Great for early arrivals and business travellers. Focus on awareness and discovery, so tourists add your brand to their must visit list.
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• December and January
• This is a major peak with holidaymakers, shopping festival visitors and New Year events. Increase share of voice on premium billboards, unipoles and DOOH networks.
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• February and March
• Often packed with trade shows, sports events and late winter breaks. Use a mix of billboards, lampposts and transport formats to stay visible as people move between venues.

Read more about the perfect way to time outdoor campaigns in Dubai.

How Dubai Advertising helps brands win tourist season

Dubai Advertising works as a local partner across the UAE, helping international and regional brands choose the right mix of roadside, mall, transport, airport and digital out of home placements for tourist season.

By working with one team you can

• Access premium sites across multiple emirates
• Combine static and digital formats for stronger impact
• Align messaging with key visitor flows and events
• Track performance and refine creative for future seasons

If you are planning activity for October to March, now is the time to secure prime locations. Get in touch and tell us about your objectives and budget, and the Dubai Advertising team will build a tailored outdoor plan for your brand.

FAQs

Which months count as tourist season in the UAE for outdoor advertising

Tourist season usually runs from October to March, when the weather is cooler and visitor numbers are high. This is the best time to invest in high visibility outdoor formats such as billboards, unipoles, lampposts and digital screens.

What outdoor formats work best to reach tourists in the UAE

High impact billboards and unipoles on main roads build brand fame, while lampposts, mupis and mall panels drive action close to stores and attractions. Airport, transport and digital out of home formats keep your message in front of visitors throughout their journey.

How far in advance should I book tourist season outdoor campaigns

For premium locations in Dubai and other emirates, brands should plan at least two to three months before October. Prime billboards, unipoles and digital screens can sell out around major holidays and events, so early booking gives more choice and better pricing.

Can I target specific nationalities or traveller segments with outdoor ads

Yes. By choosing locations near certain hotels, attractions, business districts or events you can focus on business travellers, family tourists, luxury shoppers or specific communities. Digital out of home and programmatic buying can further refine targeting by time and audience profile.