News

MENA eSIM Use Soared 20% In 2024, Boosted By Tourism Sector

The report, published by eSIM provider Yesim, also backs up recent projections that 68% of all MENA smartphones will use eSIMs by 2030.

Published

1 year ago

January 21, 2025

Nour Nasir

mena esim use soared 20% in 2024 boosted by tourism sector

Yesim, a global eSIM provider, recently published its Dubai Tourism & Connectivity Report 2024. The report highlights a sharp rise in eSIM adoption across the MENA region, closely tied to a booming tourism sector, increased IoT usage, and the expanding reach of 5G. The report builds on existing projections showing that by 2030, 68% of all smartphones in the region will use eSIMs.

Dubai: A Key Player In MENA’s Tourism Sector

Dubai remains a tourism hotspot, attracting 9.31 million overnight international visitors in the first half of 2024 — a 9% increase on 2023. The average tourist visit has also extended to 13.8 days — a remarkable 73% jump compared to 2019 — fueled largely by European tourists spending more time in the city.

“Dubai draws most of its tourists from the UK, Saudi Arabia, the US, Germany, and Australia, with peak travel season running from October to April,” explained Dmitri Verbovski, Yesim’s Founder and CEO.

Attractions That Keep Tourists Coming

Although Dubai continues to innovate with its many tourist attractions, shopping remains a major draw. During the Dubai Shopping Festival (December 6, 2024, to January 12, 2025) Yesim reported a notable uptick in eSIM purchases as tourists flocked to the city. Younger travelers (ages 18-35) are often drawn to luxury brands and the entertainment options found in shopping malls, while older visitors gravitate toward traditional markets.

eSIM Usage Peaks During Major Holidays

Yesim’s data reveals that demand for eSIMs rises significantly during religious holidays like Ramadan and the Islamic New Year. Ramadan orders surged 6.2%, from 19,453 pre-holiday orders to 20,665 during the month, reflecting increased travel and family connections. Post-Ramadan, orders jumped to 27,942, before stabilizing to regular levels.

A similar trend was observed during Eid. Pre-Eid orders were steady at 8,648, rising to 10,830 after the holiday — a 20% increase driven by extended trips and promotional offers. Islamic New Year saw an 11.7% spike in demand, with orders climbing from 10,334 to 11,592 during the celebrations.

Also Read: iFLYTEK Smart Translator 4.0 Review: A Traveler’s Companion

The Rise Of eSIMs In MENA

In 2024, the MENA region recorded 197 million eSIM smartphone connections, compared to 394 million using traditional SIM cards. Digital nomads and tech-savvy travelers are among the primary adopters, drawn to the technology’s seamless connectivity across borders, ease of use, and eco-friendly benefits.

News

LUVED Is A New Curated Preloved Marketplace For The UAE

Sellers keep 100 percent of every sale and AI can build a listing in five seconds — though the app’s smartest tools are still coming.

Published

5 hours ago

June 16, 2026

Joanna Melki

luved is a new curated preloved marketplace for the uae

Secondhand shopping has become mainstream in the UAE, but the experience is still scattered across resale sites, social media and informal group chats. LUVED, a mobile-first marketplace that launched in Dubai this month, is betting it can pull that activity into one place — and that the thing buyers and sellers actually want is not more inventory, but trust.

The app trades in what it calls circular luxury: preloved fashion and lifestyle pieces across men’s, women’s and children’s categories, bought, sold or given away peer to peer. Its main pitch is economics, with sellers keeping 100 percent of every sale under a zero-commission, fast payout model, while buyers are promised vetted pieces at lower prices.

Where LUVED is staking its reputation is verification. Sellers pass a KYC check, and items run through a two-layer authentication system powered by Entrupy that pairs instant AI screening with human expert review for high-value pieces. Authenticity certificates travel with each item, payments sit in escrow, and a buyer-protection package the company calls The Safety Net adds a 48-hour return window and dispute resolution. Door-to-door logistics removes the in-person meetups that make most resale deals awkward.

An in-app assistant called Luvbot — offering selling insights and demand-based recommendations — is soon to be introduced to the platform. Other features include autofill and dynamic pricing that lets users build a listing in as little as five seconds from three photos, plus a swipe-based feed, story-style drops and in-app chat in English and Arabic. Finally, a gifting layer, Luved & Gifted, lets users pass items to others inside the app rather than sell them.

Also Read: Logitech’s New Folding Mouse Is Designed For Work On The Go

“After moving to Dubai, I saw how difficult it was to sell or even give things away,” says founder and CEO Shaima Sibtain. The friction is real, and so is the competition. In resale, trust is won transaction by transaction — and that is the test LUVED has set itself.

The app is live on the App Store now, with Google Play to follow. The company also plans to expand across the region, which will be the real test for a marketplace staking everything on trust.