UAE’s tourism industry report card has bagged an outstanding rating for attracting and entertaining international and domestic visitors in 2012. Visitors have arrived in millions and have been kept busy with a vast array of entertainment, shopping and leisure activities.
Dubai, with its state-of-the-art infrastructure, endless promotions, star studded cultural shows and shopping deals, has led the charts by drawing a staggering 57,684,550 passengers through its International airport boosting its rankings as the world’s third busiest for international passenger traffic. The numbers show a 13.2 per cent increase from the previous year that exceeded expectations by more than a million passengers.
However, nothing but the top rank can satisfy the top bosses whose targets for the airport are as high as the Burj Khalifa. Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports believes the number one spot to be firmly within the radar. He said: “We now have London’s Heathrow and the number one spot firmly within our sights. The opening of Concourse A, the world’s first purpose-built A380 facility, has given us the room to maintain our strong growth into the new year, with a forecast of 65.4 million passengers in 2013.”
Concourse A boosts capacity at Dubai International from 60 million to 75 million passengers per year. It is a vital part of Dubai Airports’ $7.8 billion Strategic Plan 2020 which will increase airport capacity to 90 million by 2018.
January 2013’s passenger figures that soar 14.6 per cent in comparison to the same month last year, further reaffirms the vision. Griffiths added: “January’s record passenger numbers confirm that the growth trajectory recorded last year has continued into 2013 and Dubai Airports has taken another steady stride towards the 98 million passengers a year we expect to pass through our airport by the end of the decade.”
If flying into Dubai has been a favorite mode of transport, taking the leisurely mode of luxury cruise liners has taken the fancy of 407,825 cruise tourists who arrived on 105 ship calls in 2012. Dubbed as the ‘Cruise Hub of the Region’ for attracting more than 20 of the world’s leading cruise liners, Dubai port has seen an annual growth of three per cent in this sector and is aiming to receive 120 ship calls and over 450,000 cruise tourist by 2015.
Last season, Dubai boasted infrastructure that can operate three facilities on a pier stretch of 1,900 meters and accommodate up to six cruise ships simultaneously. It is pegged as the most modern and the largest facility in the Middle East dedicated to cruise tourism.
Italy-based Costa Cruises, with the highest capacity committed to the region, have reconfirmed their presence in the region for the next season. The company’s luxury liner, Costa Fortuna, with a capacity of 3,470 passengers is scheduled to sail from Dubai offering a seven-day itinerary, including an overnight in Muscat.
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Sharjah positions itself as the next destination for family tourism |
Dario Rustico, Costa Cruises sales and marketing director for Central Europe, Africa, Middle East and India, said: “Dubai and the Emirates have been and will continue to be a firm point in our winter deployment. In this regard we are happy to bring Costa Fortuna to the region next season and reinforce our excellent relationship with DTCM now aimed also at developing GCC and India as two important local source markets.”
The steady flow of in-bound traffic was even reflected in Dubai’s famous driver-less metro network, with reports showing a passenger count of 109.491 million – a massive increase of nearly 20 per cent in comparison to the previous year.
Shopping continued to reign as the favorite activity among visitors with retail sales at The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping mall, rising by 24 per cent during 2012 in comparison with 2011. Footfalls at the mall also witnessed a 20 per cent increase with 65 million visiting the mall last year.
Claiming that the visitor numbers to the mall surpassed the annual number of tourists to New York City (52 million) and Los Angeles (41million), Mohamed Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties, said: “The visitor footfall to The Dubai Mall has exceeded our expectations every year since its opening in 2008, and in 2012, we marked another landmark by welcoming 65 million visitors. This is complemented by the growth in retail sales of 24 per cent compared to 2011.”
A recent report by real estate specialists, Jones Lang Lasalle reaffirms the upward growth trajectory saying: “Dubai’s hospitality sector is set for major boom given the number of new hotel rooms in the pipeline in the backdrop of steadily improving occupancy rates.
“The positive upswing in tourism volumes in Dubai has raised confidence levels and following a slowdown witnessed in the last couple of years. The second quarter of 2012 saw the opening of one major internationally branded hotel – Melia in Bur Dubai, which marked the entrance of a new operator in the Dubai hospitality market.” Approximately 4,500 additional guest rooms are expected to be available in the market with the opening of several new properties this year.
An Ernst & Young (E&Y) report said that Dubai’s hotels enjoyed “a good performance” last year with an 83.6 per cent occupancy rate, stating in the same breath that this may not show major increase in 2013 considering the increase in supplies.
Meanwhile, February saw JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, a 72-storey property, crowned with the title of World’s Tallest Hotel by the Guinness World Records. As the latest luxury property to enter Dubai’s market, it boasts 7,500 sq m of indoor and outdoor event space, which includes two ballrooms and several dining and entertainment choices.
In the same period, capital Abu Dhabi set a new record in the hospitality sector by receiving 2,388,023 hotel guests in its 136 hotels and hotel apartments – a 13 per cent rise on its 2011 performance.
Figures revealed by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) show a 12 per cent year-on-year rise in guest nights to 6,996,724 and an increase in hotel revenues for the period by six per cent, to Dh4.6 billion ($1.261 billion).
“This is a very satisfactory performance and gives us an excellent platform on which to now build for our 2013 target of 2.5 million guests,” said Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman, TCA Abu Dhabi.
“Growth was recorded across all key markets with the strongest coming from Africa, the GCC, Middle East and Asia. With the recent opening of our latest power draw, Yas Waterworld, major new resorts opening shortly, our new on-the-ground representation in India and enhanced air access via Etihad’s new 2013 services from Washington DC and Sao Paolo, we anticipate continued improved performance going forward.”
Tourist figures were enhanced by increased connectivity to the emirate by Etihad Airways to Seychelles and South Africa. During 2012 the UK remained Abu Dhabi’s largest international source market delivering 140,393 hotel guests – a slight one per cent rise on the previous year. India became the destination’s second largest international source market with 138,768 hotel guests – a rise of 28 per cent on 2011, with Germany taking third place with 96,802 guests representing a 42 per cent increase on the comparative period.
The number of Italians coming to soak in the desert sun also saw an increase of 22 per cent more guests last year than in 2011. An important contributing factor has been the new launched AlItalia service between Rome and Abu Dhabi and Russia, which contributed a 40 per cent growth in guests.
“Air connectivity is a crucial element in achieving our deliverables and we look forward to the launch of Etihad’s planned daily service from Washington DC to Abu Dhabi this March to open up more opportunity from the US market,” added Sheikh Sultan.
Guests from the US and Canada are proving to be Abu Dhabi’s longest stayers with an average stay of 5.47 and 5.58 nights respectively. Domestic tourism remained buoyant throughout the year accounting for some 888,241 guests – an eight per cent annual increase.
Currently, more than 50 airlines operate from Abu Dhabi International Airport, serving more than 95 destinations in 49 different countries across the globe.
A robust growth in national airlines have chartered the success story of tourism even in neighboring emirate Sharjah, where budget airline Air Arabia reported a heart-warming full year net profit increase of 55 per cent.
Air Arabia carried over 5.3 million passengers in 2012, registering a 13 per cent increase compared to 4.7 million passengers in 2011. The carrier’s seat load factor – or passengers carried as a percentage of available seats – stood at impressive 82 per cent for the full year.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammad Al Thani, chairman of Air Arabia, attributed the strong financial results to airline’s rapid expansion plans in 2012 and the efficiency of its operations.
He said: “As these results signify, Air Arabia continued to demonstrate its concerted efforts to enter into new markets and launch new ventures, while enabling more people to fly efficiently and affordably. The year 2012 saw Air Arabia expand its global network by entering new markets, taking more aircraft deliveries as well as offering its customers wider product offerings and services”.
On the back of strong passenger numbers, the airline’s fourth quarter net profit stood at Dh83m, an increase of six per cent compared to Dh78m in 2011. The fourth quarter turnover reached Dh755m, representing an increase of 18 per cent compared to Dh638m reported for the same period in 2011.
Other popular events that have helped the steady trickle of tourists to Sharjah, marketing itself as a “destination for family tourism and a center of international festivals” have been the Water Festival which flagged off with UIM F1H20 World Powerboat Championship the Sharjah Grand Prix in Khalid Lagoon.
Sharjah is also working on wooing cruise liners by developing tourism infrastructure on the East Coast and launching ecotourism projects in Kalba and Khorfakkan. Authorities reported 40 calls by international luxury ships during the 2012-13 cruise season, bringing with it approximately 130,000 cruise passengers. Khorfakkan received 23 calls by luxury cruise liners with 67,000 passengers arriving at the emirate’s East Coast.
Meanwhile Fujairah, thronged by tourists for its clean beaches and some of the best snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities, has announced that the Wadi Wurayah mountain protected area, home to more than 100 species of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles, will be developed into an international-class national park.
By Anasuya Kesavan