New avenues for local tourism

Beyond excellent winter weather, the UAE has much to offer as a family holiday location

Passengers arriving at the cruise ship Mariner of the Seas at Mina Rashid in Dubai. aime Puebla / The National

Planning a family holiday can be difficult business. You want a diverse location that is easily accessible with plenty of exciting excursions for children of all ages (and adults) at a good value. Above all else, you want a destination that is safe. Given the reach of the UAE’s aviation sector to most of the planet, the number of family-focused attractions that dot the country and the safety of our society, family travel is an ideal avenue for tourism growth.

In recent years, the UAE has expanded its Halal tourism sector in an effort to tap into this growing market. Halal tourism is a natural fit and expands tourism outside of Abu Dhabi and Dubai to emirates such as Ras Al Khaimah. It is not just the UAE, across the region from Turkey to Oman, Halal tourism is booming.

With a strong US dollar adding stress to global tourism, new ideas and markets are especially important for the local industry. Russian tourism – a major source of revenue – has posted lacklustre numbers because of the weakening rouble. Russians are staying home or looking for much cheaper alternatives when it comes to travel. At the same time, Fly Dubai has just posted lower profits partly due to waning Russian demand and political challenges in destinations including Iraq and Ukraine.

Given the current reality of the market, there is a concrete drive to tap new tourist reservoirs from places such as China, Africa and India. Given the proximity of the African and Indian markets, these areas are ripe for growth. Abu Dhabi – which met its target of 4.1 million tourists last year, up 18 per cent on the previous year – is leading the charge to get more tourists with announcements of new hotel infrastructure.

Having enough hotel rooms is only part of the challenge of generating tourism figures. Fresh ideas that build on the UAE’s strength are needed to tap into new markets. Between the Halal tourism industry and more branding of the UAE as an excellent family destination, there is ample material for new campaigns. Few destinations in the world can compete with the UAE in these sectors.