• Dubai's skyline. Reem Mohammed / The National
    Dubai's skyline. Reem Mohammed / The National
  • Ain Dubai, on Bluewaters Island. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ain Dubai, on Bluewaters Island. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Artwork displayed on Burj Khalifa celebrating the UAE’s 50th National Day. Pawan Singh / The National.
    Artwork displayed on Burj Khalifa celebrating the UAE’s 50th National Day. Pawan Singh / The National.
  • The interior of the Dubai Frame. Victor Besa / The National.
    The interior of the Dubai Frame. Victor Besa / The National.
  • Dubai Garden Glow. Victor Besa / The National.
    Dubai Garden Glow. Victor Besa / The National.
  • Seagulls at the Jumeirah beach near the Burj Al Arab hotel. Pawan Singh / The National
    Seagulls at the Jumeirah beach near the Burj Al Arab hotel. Pawan Singh / The National
  • Dhows unloading and loading items by Deira's Spice Market. Reem Mohammed / The National
    Dhows unloading and loading items by Deira's Spice Market. Reem Mohammed / The National
  • A light show at the Al Wasl Plaza, Expo 2020 Dubai. Victor Besa / The National.
    A light show at the Al Wasl Plaza, Expo 2020 Dubai. Victor Besa / The National.
  • Shoppers and vendors in the Gold and Spice Souk area of Deira in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Shoppers and vendors in the Gold and Spice Souk area of Deira in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Tourists view and buy jewels at the famous gold shops in the Gold Souk. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National
    Tourists view and buy jewels at the famous gold shops in the Gold Souk. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National
  • Tourists visit the Dubai Museum in Bur Dubai. Paulo Vecina / The National
    Tourists visit the Dubai Museum in Bur Dubai. Paulo Vecina / The National
  • For many, Deira and the creek, the Khor Dubai, with its dhow moorings, water taxis and souks, is the very essence of the old city. Sarah Dea / The National
    For many, Deira and the creek, the Khor Dubai, with its dhow moorings, water taxis and souks, is the very essence of the old city. Sarah Dea / The National
  • The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, in Al Bastakiya. Dubai Tourism
    The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, in Al Bastakiya. Dubai Tourism
  • Goods on display outside the shop at Old Souk in Bur Dubai. Pawan Singh/The National
    Goods on display outside the shop at Old Souk in Bur Dubai. Pawan Singh/The National
  • Aura Sky Pool, the world’s first 360° infinity pool, on the Palm. Victor Besa / The National.
    Aura Sky Pool, the world’s first 360° infinity pool, on the Palm. Victor Besa / The National.
  • The aquarium at Dubai Mall draws a huge number of visitors every year. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    The aquarium at Dubai Mall draws a huge number of visitors every year. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Exterior view of Dubai Mall. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Exterior view of Dubai Mall. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • The outdoor terrace at Honyaki in Madinat Jumeirah, overlooking the Burj Al Arab. Photo: Jumeriah Group
    The outdoor terrace at Honyaki in Madinat Jumeirah, overlooking the Burj Al Arab. Photo: Jumeriah Group
  • A tourist takes a selfie at JBR beach near the Ritz Carlton hotel in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    A tourist takes a selfie at JBR beach near the Ritz Carlton hotel in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Children at Ski Dubai Photo: Ski Dubai
    Children at Ski Dubai Photo: Ski Dubai
  • Ski Dubai, in Mall of the Emirates, in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    Ski Dubai, in Mall of the Emirates, in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • The Atlantis Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. Jeff Topping / The National
    The Atlantis Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. Jeff Topping / The National

Dubai visitor numbers to exceed pre-pandemic levels in final weeks of 2021, DXB chief says


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The number of visitors to Dubai is expected to exceed pre-pandemic levels in the remaining few weeks of 2021 during the peak holiday travel period, in a further sign of the airport's and tourism industry's continued recovery.

Dubai International Airport (DXB)'s Terminal 3 is expected to handle more than 1.6 million passengers in the second half of December during the month's peak seasonal travel period, operator Dubai Airports said in a statement on Monday.

DXB's Terminal 3 is expected to serve more than 1.6 million passengers in the second half of December. Photo: Dubai Airports
DXB's Terminal 3 is expected to serve more than 1.6 million passengers in the second half of December. Photo: Dubai Airports

Visitors to Dubai exceeded 1 million during the month of October and DXB handled 1 million passengers per week in November, with origin-destination passengers reaching 94 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

“The number of visitors to Dubai is likely to exceed pre-pandemic levels during the final few weeks of the year, which is an excellent milestone on our journey towards full recovery,” Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, said.

“We took early steps to implement best-in-class hygiene and health protocols, fast track PCR testing facilities, and enhanced customer service and guest support resources to ensure the comfort, convenience and safety of travellers — and this has resulted in a strong recovery towards pre-pandemic levels of passengers.”

Following the reopening of the final phase of Concourse A at Terminal 3 in DXB, the world's busiest airport by international traffic is now operating at its full capacity.

“Reaching the point where 100 per cent of our facilities are now open and serving customers, plus the huge resurgence in passengers arriving into Dubai marks an important milestone for the aviation sector as well as for the city of Dubai and its economic growth,” Mr Griffiths said.

The number of visitors to Dubai is likely to exceed pre-pandemic levels during the final few weeks of the year, Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, said. Photo: DXB
The number of visitors to Dubai is likely to exceed pre-pandemic levels during the final few weeks of the year, Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, said. Photo: DXB

Emirates Airline, the main airline customer at DXB, has restored 90 per cent of its network and is on track to reach 70 per cent of its pre-Covid-19 capacity by the end of 2021.

Dubai Airports raised its forecast for annual passenger traffic this year by an additional two million, anticipating the influx of travellers at Dubai International Airport (DXB) will reach 28.7 million as travel restrictions in key markets start to ease.

It is projecting 57 million annual passengers for next year.

“The rate of recovery of DXB has exceeded most other airports of comparable size and highlights the positive international reputation that Dubai has as an attractive city that has taken decisive steps to protect its visitors and residents,” Mr Griffiths said.

Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Zakat definitions

Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.

Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.

Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.

Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.

ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
%3Cp%3ECreator%3A%20Tima%20Shomali%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0Tara%20Abboud%2C%C2%A0Kira%20Yaghnam%2C%20Tara%20Atalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Museum of the Future in numbers
  •  78 metres is the height of the museum
  •  30,000 square metres is its total area
  •  17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
  •  14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
  •  1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior 
  •  7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
  •  2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
  •  100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
  •  Dh145 is the price of a ticket
Updated: December 21, 2021, 3:17 AM