Dubai is known as the Middle East’s cruise hub. Over the last decade, the emirate’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has been promoting the city’s cruise tourism and efforts in this direction are reported to continue with an even bigger power. Moreover, the city’s new aim is to welcome 1 million cruise tourist by 2020.
These ambitious plans were shared by DTCM. According to the department, one of the steps to achieve this growth in this niche of the sector is by increasing the cruise companies that operate in the city. According to DTMC’s executive director of business tourism, Hamad Bin Mejren, Dubai could add more than two cruise companies to its portfolio by 2019. In fact, the department is reported to be already in talks with a number of big names in this field, one of which is based in the U.S.
In addition, from Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing are confident that they will not have any trouble luring new cruise companies to the local ports. They believe that the city’s booming tourism and local attractions will show future cruise partners that the city is a promising cruise destination.
During the upcoming season, which spans between December and March, Dubai will work with four companies. In addition, the following season they are expected to increase to five.
As it was mentioned, DTCM targets to see a million cruise passengers over the next 5-6 years. In comparison, in 2013, the city welcomed 400,000 cruise tourists. This year, their amount is predicted to increase by 5% – 7%.
It is clear that Dubai has a long way to go before it hits this number. The city is already among the leading’s hubs in the region, but it is yet to establish a name as a one of world’s busiest cruise destinations. After all, its 400,000 passengers a year are still far from the number of global cruise passengers in 2013 – 21.3 million. In addition, the city has not managed to meet the prognosis for last year. In 2010, Dubai’s goal was to hit over 500,000 cruise tourists a year in 2013, but it ended 100,000 tourists short.
However, with Expo 2020 luring on the horizon, the city may boost its cruise tourism sector along with everything else.
