Dubai hopes to double cruise visitors by 2020

Dubai expects cruise tourism to grow by 30 per cent in 2016-2017 season, with 155 cruise vessels carrying 650,000 people, based on pre-bookings. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

Dubai is casting its net far and wide to draw 1 million cruise tourists a year from 2020 onwards.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the chairman of Dubai’s Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, said that the emirate would target cruises in line with its overall 2020 goal to attract 20 million tourists a year.

The increase will mostly come from beefing up infrastructure at the region’s largest cruise terminal, Mina Rashid, which will also include building a marina for luxury yachts.

“To ensure the facility reaches its optimal capacity and to further facilitate passengers’ access to the terminals, more berths are being allocated, existing terminals are being linked via a high-tech tubes system and an additional terminal is being built,” said Mr bin Sulayem, also the chairman and chief executive of DP World.

The world’s largest cruise port is in Miami, which had nearly 5 million multi-entry passengers last year.

Dubai has been steadily increasing its cruise destination prowess, attracting more than 500,000 passengers in the 2015-16 season, a 33 per cent increase from the previous period.

And the emirate expects to grow by another 30 per cent in 2016-17 season, with 155 cruise vessels carrying 650,000 people, based on pre-bookings.

The strategy was discussed by key officials who included Mr bin Sulayem, Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, the director general of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs of Dubai, Hilal Saeed Al Marri, the director general of Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Ahmed Mahboob, the director of Dubai Customs, as well as executives from Emirates airline.

Abu Dhabi, meanwhile, expects a 7 per cent increase in cruise passengers in the 2016-17 season to 220,000 with the addition of new terminal at Sir Bani Yas Island.

Abu Dhabi Ports is developing the island stopover, expected to be in operation later this year, which will also include new boardwalks, dining and visitor facilities.

“The addition of the Arabian Gulf’s first dedicated cruise beach stopover at Sir Bani Yas Island adds weight to Abu Dhabi’s distinct and diversified shore excursion opportunities,” said Sultan Al Dhaheri, the acting executive director of tourism at Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority.

According to the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, a trade organisation, more than 22 million people chose to take a cruise in 2014.

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