THE DUBAI TOURISM OFFICE IS FORECASTING THE
number of visitors embarking on cruise
sailings from the emirate will rise by over
40% in five years.
By 2015, the Government of Dubai’s
Department of Tourism & Commerce
Marketing believes it will be handling
upwards of 675,000 cruise passengers.
In 2010 Dubai recorded 390,000 cruise
pax, and that figure itself is close to 30% up
on the year prior.
Speaking exclusively to CW at the Arabian
Travel Market this week in Dubai, Executive
Director, Business Tourism, Hamad Mohammed
Bin Merjen said the emirate’s cruise path
plotted a decade ago remains on track.
“We have been paying close attention to
this industry for over 10 years,” he said.
“As a tourism department we have
invested in many things to handle the
projected growth.
“We know the capacity as cruise lines and
passengers book far in advance, so these
forecast figures are quite accurate.”
Bin Merjen said Dubai appeals to
cruiseliners between Oct and May, due to
the infrastructure in place, the air capacity
on offer, direct connections to over 200
cities worldwide, as well as Dubai’s strategic
location in the middle of the world.
Costa Cruises, MSC and Royal Caribbean
are all now using Dubai as a hub for sailing
through the United Arab Emirates, and
there’s hope for more cruise lines to join them.
“Cruiselines are very happy with what
Dubai has to offer, and subsequently thay
are expanding their seasons and bringing
bigger ships to the region,” he said.
Of course, with additional passenger
number comes the need for bigger facilities.
Dubai’s first cruise terminal was opened in
2001, when it saw just 6,000 passengers
passing through in the first season.
Currently there’s a temporary tent in place
to handle the recent growth spike, but
DTCM is hopeful of opening two additional
cruise terminals in two years time.
