Dubai upbeat on Dh50m tourism drive

DTCM campaign aims to bring 2,000 trade professionals to show the industry is stable.

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing plan to attract 15 million tourists by 2015.

Dubai's campaign to win over tourism opinion makers has brought more than 700 travel and media representatives to the emirate since its launch last month, the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) said, The campaign is designed to change negative perceptions of the emirate, which have stemmed partly from reports of illegal dumping of sewage on Dubai beaches and reports of an outbreak of legionnaires' disease at a hotel, which were later disproved.

At stake is the emirate's largest single revenue generator, worth Dh57 billion (US$15.51bn) every year - 19 per cent of its economy. "Keep Discovering Dubai" aims to host a total of 2,000 representatives from 53 countries on familiarisation tours lasting three days. The three-month-long campaign is estimated to cost about Dh50 million. "This programme will go a long way in networking with the crucial travel trade professionals in this economically challenging environment facing the global tourism industry," said Mohammed bin Hareb, DTCM's executive director of operations and marketing. "I am sure the tour programme will help dispel misconceptions about the destination and convey the message that the tourism industry is stable."

This is part of Dubai's wider plan to attract 15 million tourists by 2015, more than double the number that visited the emirate last year. According to DTCM figures, Dubai's hotels accommodated 6,996,449 guests last year, up from 6,951,798 visitors in 2007. However, occupancy rates fell sharply in February from the same month last year, according to data from STR Global. Alex Kyriakidis, the managing partner at Deloitte real estate, hospitality and leisure, said the campaign was positive, but more needed to be done.

"My view is that a campaign such as this one is desperately needed and it is needed in a concerted effort on a broader UAE basis," he said. "In the current market, world over, everyone is fighting for visitors." Mr Kyriakidis said the UAE should position itself as "a destination for everyone", with the cultural attractions of Abu Dhabi complementing the attractions of Dubai. Dubai had to offer even more family-oriented attractions to spur tourism, he said.

Mr Kyriakidis said that despite a year-on-year fall in occupancy rates, Dubai's market was robust and rates remained relatively high compared with other regions. Occupancy rates in Dubai were at 75.5 per cent in February, while revenue per available room was $214, according to STR Global's data. "That puts Dubai in the upper quarter of performance by any measure anywhere in the world in today's market," Mr Kyriakidis said. "People might like to throw stones, but I would say that to me that is a sign of envy."

More than 1,200 travel representatives have accepted the invitation to visit Dubai, and the DTCM said it expected more to sign up in the coming weeks. The DTCM said it planned a raft of programmes for the summer period and during Ramadan. [e-mail]