DUBAI International Airport continues with a double digit growth for the year 2005.
A total of 24.7 million passengers passed through the airport, a growth of 14 per cent over the 21.7 million in 2004. Cargo movement registered a 20 per cent growth with total freight movement of 1.3 million tonnes in 2005 as compared to 1.1 million tonnes in 2004.
Aircraft movement has also shown growth of 11 per cent with 217165 movements as compared to195820 movements in 2004.
Dubai International Hotel continued its upward growth with occupancy rate registering at 107 per cent for the year. Highest occupancy rate was during December (122 per cent) followed by September (119 per cent).
Commenting on the annual statistics, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of the Department of Civil Aviation and chairman of Emirates Group, said: “The continuous growth at Dubai International Airport verifies the fact that Dubai is now the business and leisure destination of the region. In 2006 we expect 28 million passengers and 1.5 million tonnes of freight to be registered at Dubai International Airport.”
The airport was voted the best in the Middle East and Africa in 2005 by readers of high profile travel magazine Business Traveller Germany. Expansion plans.
Dubai is planning to invest a total of $36 billion to expand its airports and boost the airlines’ fleet to meet the phenomenal rise in passenger and cargo movements and assert Dubai’s position as a destination of choice for business and leisure.
Dubai aimes to receive 15 million visitors to hotels and resorts in Dubai by 2010, as compared to four million who visited Dubai in 2004. The airport is expected to witness a movement of 60 million passengers in 2010. The airport today handles 110 airliners flying to more than 160 destinations around the world.
The second expansion phase of the airport, due for completion in early 2007 and 2008, is expected to cost around $4.2 billion and will increase the airport’s capacity to 70 million passengers. The first phase was completed in April 2000 at a cost of more than $600 million.
Jebel Ali Airport
The first phase of Jebel Ali Airport City, Dubai’s second airport, is due to be completed in the second half of 2007 at a cost of $600 million. This will consist of the first phase of Logistics City. Passenger facilities will be finished by 2015.
Dubai has in the last two years alone announced tourism and real estate projects worth $100 billion that would turn the emirate into a unique tourism destination.