A joint initiative between the cruise ports of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Oman to promote the Arabian region as a cruise destination is working to entice cruise lines.
Hamad Mohammed Bin Mejren (pictured above centre with Noura Al Dhaheri and Jamal Humaid Al Falasi) , executive director of business tourism for Dubai Tourism told Cruise Weekly the alliance has seen “positive development.”
Dubbed Cruise Arabia, the pact launched earlier this year, and has been cited for encouraging Royal Caribbean International to return to the Gulf from 2015/16.
RCI offered sailings out of the region from 2010 until this past season.
“We are really happy to be welcoming Royal Caribbean back,” Bin Mejren told CW at the recent Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.
Regular lines operating in the Middle East include AIDA, Costa, Tui Cruises and MSC, the latter of which will deploy MSC Orchestra to Dubai next year.
Jamal Humaid Al Falasi, director of cruise tourism for Dubai Tourism revealed that the organisation had made a concerted effort to entice P&O Cruises World Cruising to Arabia, with the line “currently considering the destination” for a future program.
Bin Mejren said Dubai would act as the primary hub for Arabia due to its “excellent infrastructure,” fuelled by airlift into Dubai International Airport.
“To have this alliance will enhance the facilities we have in the region, plus we will work on developing more destinations.”
Infrastructure improvements have been confirmed for Muscat in Oman and Fujairah.
“Today we consider our region one of the world’s leading winter cruise destinations,” Bin Mejren concluded.