The UAE is already a global aviation hub, and it is on track to becoming a centre for the leisure cruising industry. The number of ships docking in the capital this season will be up 20 per cent on the 2014-15 season. Abu Dhabi Ports expects more than 200,000 passengers to arrive between September and May next year at Zayed Port, where a new cruise terminal will open by the end of the year. This figure is expected to rise to 300,000 by 2019-20.
The spin-offs for the tourism industry are obvious, as are the benefits for retailers when thousands of potential new customers descend on the city each time a ship docks.
As more ships come to the UAE – this season, three companies will have vessels doing weekly trips docking in Dubai and Abu Dhabi – there will be opportunities in the non-tourism economy. Big ships are like cities, and they require a whole range of services from fuel to waste-disposal and reliable supplies of fresh produce. Enterprising local businesses stand to benefit from this influx.
