logo
Dubai taxi trips hit 60m in H1 2025 as passenger numbers top 103m

Dubai taxi trips hit 60m in H1 2025 as passenger numbers top 103m

Arabian Business20 hours ago
Dubai's taxi sector recorded 7 per cent growth in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
The number of taxi trips rose to 59.5m, up from 55.7m in H1 2024, while total passengers increased from 97m to 103.5m.
Hala Taxi's market share also increased to 41.3 per cent of total taxi trips in H1 2025, up from 40.3 per cent in H1 2024—a rise of 2.5 per cent growth in share.
Dubai taxi journeys
Over the same period, the number of active drivers in the sector grew from about 13,000 to nearly 14,000.
Adel Shakri, Director of Planning and Business Development at the Public Transport Agency, said the results reflect 'the emirate's economic vibrancy, which has cemented its position as a global destination for investment and tourism.'
The sector also achieved record growth in e-hailing services, hourly vehicle rental, and Hala Taxi bookings.
In H1 2024, around 70 per cent of Hala Taxi trips had an estimated arrival time of under four minutes
In H1 2025, 74 per cent of trips were under 3.5 minutes
Shakri said the improvements highlight the sector's commitment to service efficiency and customer satisfaction.
With rising demand, faster response times, and an expanding driver base, Dubai's taxi sector continues to strengthen its role in supporting the emirate's transport infrastructure and tourism economy.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Dubai and Abu Dhabi office markets boom as record sales and new developments reshape skylines in 2025
Dubai and Abu Dhabi office markets boom as record sales and new developments reshape skylines in 2025

Arabian Business

timean hour ago

  • Arabian Business

Dubai and Abu Dhabi office markets boom as record sales and new developments reshape skylines in 2025

Dubai and Abu Dhabi are experiencing a surge in office market activity, with record sales, soaring rents and a wave of new developments set to transform both cities' commercial skylines, according to Knight Frank's H1 2025 Office Market Review. In Dubai, 83 office transactions worth more than AED10m ($2.72m) were completed in the first half of 2025 — a 207 per cent jump from the 27 deals recorded in the same period last year. Downtown led the market, with average prices surpassing AED 5,000 ($1,361) per square foot, while Business Bay crossed the AED 2,000 ($544) per square foott mark for the first time, after 21.2 per cent growth since 2020. Dubai office demand Off-plan office sales, concentrated mainly in Business Bay, are on the rise. The submarket is set to deliver more than 1.3 million sqft through this model, reflecting investor confidence in Dubai's prime financial hubs. DIFC remains the costliest office location in the city, averaging AED 400 ($109) per square foot for fitted offices, while robust rental growth is also being seen in The Greens (AED260/$71psf), Dubai Design District (AED 280/$76psf) and Business Bay (AED251/$68psf). Demand is being driven by the business services sector (38 per cent of total), followed by tech (31 per cent), real estate (12 per cent) and banking and finance (10 per cent). Faisal Durrani, Partner – Head of Research, Knight Frank MENA, said: 'Confidence in Dubai as a global business hub remains exceptionally strong. Indeed, this is reflected in record low vacancy rates for Grade A stock across the city, which stands in sharp contrast to many other global gateway cities. 'The technology and trading systems sector has emerged as major driver of demand, while sustained activity from financial, real estate and business consulting firms underscores the city's appeal to a diverse range of global occupiers. 'Developers are moving quickly to capitalise on current demand, with a further 25.2 million square feet expected by 2030, when we forecast the total office stock in the city to approach 148 million square feet. 'The confidence in the office sector is further evidenced by the boom in high-value transactions, with the number of office sales over AED 10 million setting a record of 83 sales in H1 2025.' The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) recorded its busiest ever first half for new company registrations since opening in 2004, with 1,081 new businesses joining between January and June, bringing the total to 7,700. Knight Frank forecasts Dubai's total gross leasable area will reach 137.8 million sqft by 2030, with 15.8 million sqft in new supply. DIFC will add more than 7 million sqft of build-to-rent office space by 2030, while Business Bay will see strong build-to-sell activity, much of it sold off-plan before completion. Abu Dhabi office demand In the UAE capital, office demand reached over 5 million sqft in H1 2025, up 110 per cent year-on-year. Business services accounted for 32 per cent of demand, followed by government entities (9 per cent). Durrani said: 'New rental contracts in Abu Dhabi have been a primary driver of market activity this year, with transaction volumes experiencing a significant peak in January, signalling fresh demand and business expansion in the UAE capital. 'Mirroring Dubai, with occupancy levels at record highs across grade-A stock, limited availability is driving up rents for best-in-class space'. Musaffah led rental growth in Q2 2025 with a 73 per cent quarter-on-quarter rise, followed by Al Bateen (68 per cent) and Al Hisn (19 per cent). Some older districts such as Al Danah (-2 per cent) and Al Nahyan (-7 per cent) saw slight declines due to higher concentrations of secondary stock. James Hodgetts, Partner – Occupier Strategy & Solutions, MEA, said: 'There is good news on the horizon, with a strong pipeline of high-quality developments poised to be welcome additions to the Abu Dhabi office market. 'This new supply is likely to help ease current constraints, offering occupiers greater choice and setting new benchmarks for quality, sustainability and design.' New completions are set to ease supply pressure, including Aldar's HB Tower on Yas Island (238,647 sqft) and the Saas Business Tower on Al Reem Island (129,210 sqft). Shehzad Jamal, Partner – Strategy and Consultancy, MENA, said: 'Demand is expected to remain robust and will likely continue to outpace the delivery of new premium supply for the remainder of the year, fuelling further rental growth in the prime segment across Dubai and Abu Dhabi. 'Pre-leasing activity for the landmark projects scheduled for 2026-2028 will be a key indicator of market sentiment. We expect the performance gap between grade-A, well-located assets and older, secondary stock to widen further as the flight-to-quality trend intensifies in the short-term.'

Mystery Tobacco Eau De Parfum
Mystery Tobacco Eau De Parfum

UAE Moments

timean hour ago

  • UAE Moments

Mystery Tobacco Eau De Parfum

Emirati influencer Marwa Al Hashem and Saudi Influencer Daim Al Gaw showcase Mystery Tobacco, the Carolina Herrera Confidential fragrance bringing together the timeline elegance of the brand through the unique perspective of the rising Arab stars in the influencer world. The Carolina Herrera Confidential fragrance embodies the essence of sophistication and luxury, and the collaboration with Marwa Al Hashem and Daim Al Gaw adds a distinct Middle Eastern touch to this captivating fragrance. The regional shooting showcases the fusion of cultures, capturing the spirit of modern elegance and beauty. There is nothing as mysterious as an incomplete memory, half-suggested by a word, a color or a scent - Mystery Tobacco gives off that kind of magic. Its fruity notes and its smoky atmosphere evoke the story of Pepito Herrera, uncle of Reinaldo Herrera, one of the lavish characters that populate the memory of La Hacienda La Vega, the emblematic Caracas estate linked to the family where Carolina Herrera resided during part of her youth, and what later inspired her to create the namesake fashion brand. Those gardens and historic buildings – the foundation of this architectural complex dates from the sixteenth century – still kept the echo of the glittering guests, almost from other worlds, who had frequented it, from Princess Margaret and Prince Charles of England to Salvador Dalí or Christian Dior. However, from those stories she heard at family gatherings, Carolina A. Herrera, creative director of fragrances at Carolina Herrera, retained the fascination with the adventures of Uncle Pepito, a man born at the same time as the twentieth century and endowed with an unlimited passion for travel. "He was like the Phileas Fogg of the family; every time I sat in front of the world map that Dad had in his office and pointed to any point on the planet, someone told me that 'Uncle Pepito had been there,'" recalls Carolina A. Herrera. "From Egypt to Japan, from Patagonia to Alaska, from Turkey to Madagascar, there was always a story, a memory or an anecdote that referred to Pepito, a man of whom I barely remember a few features: he always dressed exceptionally elegantly, with a cross suit and English shoes, he knew several languages and he used to use a fragrance of vetiver whose wake was mixed with that of the blond tobacco he smoked in exquisitely designed pipes that he had collected on his travels around the world," he says. That was not only a picturesque figure, but a real influence for Carolina Herrera. "My mother always affirms that her passion for traveling comes from those stories that Pepito Herrera told her," explains Carolina A. Herrera. "Thanks to them he discovered the power of travel to broaden the mind and know the world." Since then and until today, the designer has traveled the entire planet trying to throw on each object, place and person the curious, unprejudiced and free look of Pepito Herrera. From those few features, composed with loose brushstrokes like the paintings of Impressionism, emerge the most persistent notes of Mystery Tobacco. In the background of the fragrance stand out the leaves of the tobacco plant. Its golden and smoky nuances made it a key ingredient in the high perfumery of the twenties and thirties. Here they join their strength to the exotic and colorful power of patchouli. That seductive alloy remains on the skin for hours, after having displayed the magic of davana – an aromatic herb very characteristic of India – and ginger in the top notes, and vetiver and tonka bean absolute in the heart. The result is an enveloping and powerful fragrance, multicolored and enigmatic at the same time, which evokes aromas of other times without renouncing an enormously contemporary and genderless sumptuousness. An eau de parfum as powerful and unique as those unique and bold personalities who live forever in the memory of those who knew them.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store