Tourism

With some of the region’s leading tourism destinations such as Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan still affected by domestic unrest, Dubai is offering a safe haven for foreign holiday makers keen on a Middle Eastern getaway. Arrival numbers are up, hotels are benefitting from nearly record-high occupancy rates and business tourism is on the rise as professionals seek quieter and safer places to do deals.

The local tourism sector received a welcome boost on April 13 when Ras Al Khaimah’s ruler, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, issued a decree to establish a dedicated Tourism Development Authority. The body will be tasked with administering the planning, development and regulation of the emirate’s tourism industry. With knock-on effects for transport, property and retail, the sector is seen Gulf-wide as a driver of diversification and economic development.

Cruise ship passenger arrivals at Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat are expected to reach a record 231,100 for the 2010/11 fiscal year ending in June – a year-on-year increase of 72%. The total number of cruise ship visits to the port is also forecast to increase to 94, up from 78 in 2009/10.

Solid growth is expected in Thailand’s tourism sector this year, proving once again its resilience to natural disasters, political instability and economic slowdown.

The Kingdom is targeting both foreign and local holidaymakers as the government and private segment seek to increase visitor numbers and expand revenue streams in an increasingly busy tourism sector.

Indonesia has set ambitious targets for tourism growth this year, as the country looks to realise its potential as a leading international destination for visitors and expand an important part of the economy.