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UAE...leading regional tourism destination

$40bn investment seen in top 10 UAE tourism projects

DUBAI, February 24, 2015

The UAE is expected to retain its position as a regional tourism leader with top 10 of its tourism projects representing a collective investment of just under $40 billion.

Moreover, the country’s hotel pipeline is also set to grow substantially with a total of 144 hotels and resorts planned, offering 40,142 rooms.

“With the UAE securing highly visible mega events such as the upcoming World Expo2020, the sector is developing rapidly and this presents numerous opportunities for the Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing to realise its forecast of 16.5 to 18 million leisure and three to four million business visitors by the end of the decade,” said Nadege Noblet, exhibition manager of Arabian Travel Market (ATM).

Among the MEED-listed projects under development are the $5.8 billion Mall of the World development, which will be the largest retail destination on the planet, complete with a dedicated wellness hub; the $9.1 billion Al Habtoor City complex, with St Regis, Westin and W Hotels; and Emaar’s $8 billion Cultural District.

In total, the UAE has earmarked 18 museums and cultural initiatives, 88 retail developments, 24 theme parks, 15 sporting venues, 17 convention centres and 7 theatres.

Moreover, the aviation sector expansion is also supporting the country’s tourism development agenda with Dubai International expected to welcome 126.5 million passengers by 2020, the huge Al Maktoum International site set to eventually accommodate up to 160 million passengers per annum, and continued network and fleet growth of the UAE’s airlines. 

“Looking at it in financial terms, Oxford Economics puts the combined economic force of aviation and tourism-related activities in Dubai alone to hit $53.1 billion in 2020 and $88.1 billion by 2030, with almost 1.2 million jobs created,” Noblet said.

Arabian Travel Market’s 2015 roadshow returns to Dubai, UAE, tomorrow (February 25) and will see ATM representatives share the latest updates on this year’s line-up of specialist events and seminar series’, inviting participating industry players to discuss how to capitalise on market and PR opportunities in the build up to and during ATM.

Current and potential exhibitors attending the roadshow will learn about new event features including this year’s specialist sector theme, which is family travel, and the popular Tech seminars line-up, plus other marketing and PR tips to maximise their visibility at the show.

The ATM seminars return covering travel technology and other key industry issues such as luxury travel trends, business travel and aviation. Also returning are the visitor trails, helping visitors identify the specific travel sectors on the show floor including: family travel, budget travel, business travel, health & wellbeing, shopping, transportation, sports travel, cultural and heritage and adventure travel.

The number of confirmed UAE exhibitors at ATM 2015, which includes individual UAE emirate pavilions, currently tallies 152 companies with 19 new exhibitors including Dubai Parks & Resorts, Getabed, Holiday Store Travel, R Hotels Group and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

The ATM line-up will also include a two-day ILTM@ATM programme hosting 25 top Middle East luxury buyers, comprising a series of pre-scheduled appointments and dedicated luxury travel-focused seminars and panel debates, on May 5 and 6.

Last year ATM saw total attendance increase by 12 per cent with 33,000 participants, from more than 131 countries and business deals signed worth more than $2.1 billion over the four days. – TradeArabia News Service




Tags: UAE | Arabian Travel Market |

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