ABU DHABI’S ambition to become an international cruise hub has received a significant boost, following the signing, between Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and MSC Cruises, of a landmark co-operation agreement that will see the world’s fastest-growing cruise operator deploy one of its top vessels to the UAE capital on a homeport basis from October 2011.
Abu Dhabi’s anticipated elevation from port-of-call to homeport status strengthens the UAE capital’s nascent cruise tourism credentials and serves as a core enabler in ADTA’s strategy to attract 2.3 million hotel guests to the emirate by the end of 2012.
Under the terms of the agreement, Abu Dhabi’s Mina Zayed Port will serve as the primary embarkation and disembarkation point for the Italian operator’s maiden regional itinerary – scheduled for the 2011-2012 season – using its luxury MSC Lirica liner.
With its ultra-modern fleet, MSC Cruises’ entry into the Arabian Gulf will see MSC Lirica – a 59,000-tonne vessel with a capacity for 2,199 guests in 784 cabins – provide 19 eight-day/seven-night cruises covering five destinations between November 2011 and March 2012.
“MSC Cruises’ commitment to Abu Dhabi as a homeport will deliver both tactical and strategic outcomes for the emirate,” said Mubarak Al Muhairi, director general, ADTA.
“Beyond the substantial, broad-based benefits to our domestic tourism sector through incremental gains in hotel guests, longer length of stay and greater spending, this partnership provides Abu Dhabi a firm footing on the international cruise tourism map and reinforces the strategic case for a world-class, purpose-built cruise terminal in the emirate.”
Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO MSC Cruises reiterated that Abu Dhabi would reap economic benefits from the home port move.
“MSC Cruises is proud to become the first cruise company to choose Abu Dhabi as a homeport,” he said. “With our state-of-the-art vessel MSC Lirica operating 95 calls and rotations in the region, our presence will have a significant impact on Abu Dhabi’s tourism industry.”
ADTA has estimated the decision to home port MSC Lirica in Abu Dhabi will generate in excess of Dh135 million ($37 million) per season in net economic impact to, and via, the emirate’s tourism sector.
To foster continued growth in the cruise sector, Al Muhairi revealed that ADTA will, by the end of the year, commission a technical and operational feasibility study, in co-operation with relevant domestic and international stakeholders, towards the development of a dedicated cruise terminal capable of handling mega and boutique cruises alike.
“A state-of-the-art cruise terminal would greatly leverage Abu Dhabi’s positional and island geographies, strengthen our case to become the leading regional cruise hub over the next five years and place Abu Dhabi’s inbound hotel guest target on a firm course,” added Al Muhairi. “The aim of this feasibility study is to provide a clear and robust strategy to the government towards the transformation of the emirate’s cruise industry.”
ADTA completed a cruise tourism study in February, with a key output being that full-fledged homeport status for Abu Dhabi has the potential to deliver upwards of 50,000 new visitors annually. MSC Lirica’s 19 voyages next season translates to a potential of 41,000 cruise arrivals alone.
“We see Abu Dhabi as an exciting cruise destination which has already proved immensely popular with international tourists,” said Vago. “MSC Cruises will be an important catalyst in driving growth in cruise tourism in the region. After having discovered the UAE and its exciting attractions from our luxury ship, visitors will come back, as they always do, further boosting the development and promotion of the local economy.”
Driven by the expansion of existing operators’ regional itineraries, as well as the market entry of MSC Cruises, Abu Dhabi is anticipating a major leap forward in its cruise tourist arrivals.
With Arabian Gulf cruise itineraries typically running from October-May to coincide with weather-enforced lulls in Europe, Abu Dhabi’s cruise arrivals rose from 125,200 in 2008-09 to 180,000 last season. ADTA anticipates arrivals will exceed 235,000 over the course of the present 2010/2011 season.
Abu Dhabi’s first homeport listing will bring further broad-based economic benefits to airlines, hotels, retail, restaurants and attractions servicing the emirate. ADTA’s independent study concluded that homeport visitor arrivals contribute considerably more than port-of-call visitors, as higher numbers of pre-and-post stays and tours are delivered.
“To harness the potential increase in cruise visitors, it is vital that we continue improving the emirate’s existing cruise infrastructure and invest in the active development of pre- and post-cruise options,” added Al Muhairi.
The ADTA-MSC Cruises co-operation is a major coup of the authority’s Horizons Abu Dhabi programme, an incentive-based trade engagement initiative designed to attract innovative promotional concepts to stimulate consumer demand across the emirate’s rapidly-expanding tourism offerings.
The pact will see the partners collaborate in a series of cross-marketing activities, leveraging their shared presence at international travel, tourism and cruise-specific shows. Taking in 14 different trade shows in 10 European and Asian countries, ADTA and MSC Cruises will share exhibition space for promotional purposes.
“This co-operative partnership is premised on ADTA and MSC Cruises utilising our combined influence, channels and brands to good effect in target markets of mutual interest,” said Al Muhairi.
ADTA and MSC Cruises will also jointly mount a year-long promotional and publicity campaign in more than ten target markets to promote the MSC Lirica’s maiden season in the Gulf.
“I am sure this will be a winning combination of a unique cruise product and a world-class destination,” added Vago.
Closer to home, ADTA and Abu Dhabi Ports Company, which operates Mina Zayed, have pledged to oversee MSC Lirica’s berthing duties next season, as well as ensure that all aspects of passenger handling meet international standards. ADTA is planning to boost its existing cruise terminal visitor centre adding facilities such as a currency exchange and special stakeholder booths to its current offering of heritage demonstrations.
The luxurious MSC Lirica features a sophisticated and elegant décor, superb attention to detail in all areas, the finest Italian and international cuisine and a dazzling array of entertainment and activities.
Surrounding MSC Lirica’s 19 regional forays will be repositioning cruises from-and-to Genoa, Italy. On October 14, 2011, the vessel will depart Genoa for a 17-day/16-night maiden voyage to Abu Dhabi where she will begin her maiden regional season.
A southland course will take MSC Lirica through the Mediterranean Sea, calling in Naples, Italy and Port Said, Egypt, before going through the Suez Canal and reaching Aqaba, Jordan. The vessel stops in Salalah and Muscat in Oman, then Dubai, before reaching home port in Abu Dhabi. The luxury ship leaves the UAE for Genoa on March 9, 2012.
With regional tours departing Abu Dhabi every Sunday from October 28, 2011, MSC Lirica will travel round the Arabian Gulf peninsula to Muscat, before turning round en route for the UAE’s eastern emirate of Fujairah on the Indian Ocean. It will continue heading north to Bahrain, then sail southwards to Dubai, before completing its journey in Abu Dhabi.