“Destination Dubai” Plans to Double Arrivals with World Record Appeals

A delegation of 12 travel industry professionals has returned to Dubai after a three city/two country promotional mission last week to update the travel trade in Australia and New Zealand about new developments in Dubai.

Coordinated by the Government of Dubai, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), co-sponsored by Alpha Tours and Emirates and led by Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Deputy Manager, Overseas Promotions, DTCM Head Office, the delegation participated in a series of informative updates in Auckland, Sydney and Perth.

[Pictured right: Mr Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry provides a destination update to Thomas E. King, TravelMole’s Travel and Lifestyle Editor, and head of Dubai’s representation in Australia, Peter Gisborne.

During his opening remarks at the Sydney function which attracted “an amazing turnout” of 350 travel industry personnel, Peter Gisborne, Director, DTCM, Australia & New Zealand Representative Office said that Australians had previously regarded Dubai merely as a stopover.  In the past two years, however, this has changed with Australians now looking at “Destination Dubai” because of the Emirate’s wide range of attractions, activities and facilities.

The Australian market has grown from 29,800 arrivals in 2000 to 200,000 arrivals in 2007, he said.  There is very good air access with 49 Emirates flights a week.  More capacity is coming with Emirates set to launch the super jumbo A380 to Sydney next year. 

[Pictured left: Desert adventures, water sports and even ski slopes entice longer stays.]

Mr Al Geziry said that Dubai recorded 6.4 million visitors in 2006.  (Tourism is the largest industry in Dubai contributing some 24 percent of the Emirate’s GDP.)  The arrival figure is for those who stayed at least one night in a hotel in Dubai. 

Planning is underway to attract 15 million tourists to Dubai by 2012 with a number of initiatives, many of which have already commenced. 

Slightly larger in size than Tasmania, Dubai currently has 40,000 rooms catering to all market segments from budget bending backpackers to those seeking 5-star sanctuaries.  Some 51,000 rooms will be available by 2010, he said. 

Dubai already has the world’s highest concentration of hotels including the world’s largest hotel, Hotel Asia Asia with 6500 rooms.

Dubai will also be the location of the world’s two biggest manmade islands – the largest in the Palm Project will be 12.5 km long by 7.5 km wide – as well as a cluster of 300 manmade islands designed to house 250,000 people.   The later project called The World and measuring 9 km by 7 km when completed will eventually be the exotic location for some 100 hotels!

[Pictured right: The Creek Golf Club offers a challenging game in unique surrounds.]

New sporting activities on the leaderboard include Dubai Golf City which will house five themed signature courses, a golf academy, a six-star resort hotel and spa, golf communities, golf villages and retail souks.   Expected completion is 2009.

Dubai’s International Airport is now under expansion.  When completed next year it will be able to process up to 70 million passengers.  Meanwhile, the world’s largest airport, Jebel Ali International, is planned for Dubai.

There are few destinations in the world where visitors can water ski in morning, sand ski in afternoon and snow ski in the evening all within a short radius of a major world city.  Dubai offers these activities, Mr Al Geziry said.  If this diversity of activities to be enjoyed in one day is not sufficient to please finicky clients, Dubai has the world’s largest collection of amusement parks.

Retail ‘therapy’ can be put into practice everywhere from traditional souks to some quite extraordinary shopping centres.  Dubai has the world’s biggest themed shopping mall and the world’s largest shopping centre.

There are a number of other superlatives attributed to Dubai including the world’s tallest tower.  Still under construction the Burj Dubai is planned to soar 800 metres into the blue sky.

Dubai is also the home of the world’s largest gold market and the world’s largest walk-in aquarium while blueprints are still be prepared to turn this former fishing village into the world’s first space port. 

[Pictured left: Dubai’s sparkling gold souk is a major appeal to ‘shopaholics’.]

Participants in the tri-city 2007 Dubai Roadshow were the DTCM, Alpha Tours, Arabian Park Hotel, Bin Majid Tours, the Department of Civil Aviation, Emirates Hotels & Resorts, Gulf Circle Tours, Jebel Ali International, Knight Tours, Net Group, Southern Sun and Travco.

The DTCM is the principal authority for planning and supervising the development of tourism in Dubai.  Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2007, the DTCM undertakes international promotional and marketing campaigns to highlight Dubai’s strengths and opportunities.

Headquartered in Dubai, the DTCM has 15 overseas offices including the promotional and marketing office in Sydney.  More information on Dubai and requests for promotional literature can be directed to [email protected]

Exclusive Report by Thomas E. King, TravelMole’s Travel and Lifestyle Editor