H.E. Khalid Bin Sulayem, director general for the
Dubai government’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said during the
World Travel & Tourism Council's Global Travel and Tourism Summit held here
from April 20-22,the emirate's mature tourism market will bolster development for
tourism and travel trade world over, with the city at the forefront.
Dubai’s figures demonstrate dynamic expansion and
the great ability to create jobs within its borders. More importantly, this dynamic
expansion shows the successful partnership between private and public sectors.
Last year, Dubai alone received more than seven
million hotel guests; with hotels boasting 84 percent occupancy rates - the
highest in the world by far, said bin Sulayem. "Over 120 airlines serve Dubai
international airport flying to more than 200 destinations, 34 million passengers
used the airport in 2007 accounting for 27 percent of the air traffic in Middle
East and Africa," he said. "With hotels set to increase to 500 by 2015,
the growth in room numbers from 47,000 hotels and total apartments to triple in
2015 including the world biggest hotel project, the Al Bawadi project."
Dubai’s further goals are to generate 10 million
traffic by 2010 and 15 million traffic by 2015.
Tourism in Dubai contributes 20 percent directly
and 30 percent indirectly to the gross domestic product, much of the success
owed to formidable private and public partnership under the guidance of Duba's
vice president Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Iconic projects across the Dubai desert landscape
and waterfront or offshore currently include the Palm Islands, the World and mega
water parks, theme parks, the world’s largest airport and the World Trade Center
and Global Village.
Needless, Dubai is not neglecting the environment
while dealing with this colossal expansion approach no other place in the world,
except for China perhaps, can lay claim on. Several green initiatives recently
unveiled by the government include the green building strategy and new ecological
developments across the emirate, ensuring the developments conform to world standards
for environmental sustainability.
Tourism vital to Dubai is good not only for Dubai but
also for the world. "We support it regionally and internationally with several
investment companies working all over the globe," said bin Sulayem, adding that
investing in potential boom areas throughout the world is on the agenda of Dubai.
Though booming at an unrivalled pace, Dubai sees China,
India and the rest of the Middle East as markets that will help bolster development of
the tourism and travel trade, said the tourismmarketing director general.
"Despite today’s crisis, Asia, Africa and the Middle
East have seen incredible success patterns in growing its portfolio with higher than
average rates and occupancy," he remarked.
