Last week a record five mega cruise liners anchored simultaneously at Dubai’s commercial dock at Port Rashid, broadcasting a clear advertisement for the city as one of the world’s premier cruise tourism destinations.
Traditional Emerati dancers and musicians were on hand to greet the whopping 7,200 tourists that descended from the decks of the Queen Mary 2, Costa Victoria, Costa Favolosa, Pacific Princess, and Silver Whisper. The event was coordinated by DP World-UAE Region, operator of Dubai Cruise Terminal at Port Rashid, Dubai Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM), and various other transport and tour operators.
World’s Leading Cruise Port
DP World wants to make good on its plans announced last October to expand the facilities of Port Rashid, and bolster its position as the Middle East’s largest cruise terminal. Earlier in 2012, Dubai Cruise Terminal was voted the “World’s Leading Cruise Port” at the World Traveller Awards for the fifth time in a row, and after successfully managing four similar liners back in January, DP World was keen to up the ante.
Mohammed Al Muallem, DP World-UAE Region’s Senior Vice President and Managing Director said in a press statement: “Our expansion plans for Port Rashid are in line with Dubai Government’s efforts to make cruise tourism an economic growth engine.”
DP World intends for the Dubai Cruise Terminal to be able to comfortably host seven such liners at once.
Record Visitors
More people than ever are taking a holiday in Dubai it seems. Last year it was one of the top performing Middle East tourist spots, with a record number staying in its hotels – a 10 per cent increase on 2010 according to DTCM figures. The tourism authority reported hotel revenues in the city reached nearly Dh16 billion (£2.7 billion), up 20 per cent.
The growth is attributed in part to an influx of tourism from emerging markets such as India and China. Interestingly, the once-strong contribution by UK tourism to Dubai has dwindled.
As such, in a separate move this week the DTCM announced plans to open an office in South America, hoping to attract tourists to the city from burgeoning economical powerhouses like Brazil. This follows an opening of routes by airline Emirates to Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires earlier in the year.
Dubai is clearly taking a pragmatic, almost aggressive approach to its expansion, strategically dominating the strongest areas of growth in tourism and international trade. It’s a city keen to establish the widest embrace as much as the tallest spires, and it seems to be working.
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