When the luxury liner Queen Elizabeth makes its debut visit to Abu Dhabi next week, it will underline the fact that the UAE is embracing one of the fastest-growing sectors of the travel industry. The number of cruise passengers worldwide is growing at an annual average of eight per cent, so it’s little wonder that Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Oman last year announced a partnership to promote cruise-based tourism.
In the 2014-15 season, from October, the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority is expecting about 190,000 passengers from up to 100 ship-visits. Most cruise passengers are Europeans and Americans, whose spending dollars (and euros) are very welcome at the capital’s malls, hotels and tourist attractions.
However, there is another big opportunity for the UAE in catering to Gulf and other Arab families who prefer to avoid gambling or alcohol and want halal food. Saudi Arabia, especially, is a big potential market for Islamic cruises: one can readily imagine taking a week-long luxury cruise from Abu Dhabi around the Peninsula to Jeddah.
This family-friendly niche is largely untapped in the cruise industry. Perhaps the large hospitality companies of the UAE, already at the heart of regional tourism, should think seriously about creating their own cruise lines.
