Tag Archives: Dubai

Dubai saw remarkable growth in medical tourism in 2022 with 674,000 medical tourists spending AED992 million in the year, an increase of AED262 million from 2021. According to a report issued by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), 39% per cent of the medical tourists who came to Dubai were from Asian countries, 22% from Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States and 21 % from Arab and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. His Excellency Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority, said Dubai’s ability to provide high-quality patient-centered medical care has accelerated its growth as an Arab, regional and international healthcare destination. Dubai’s strategic location, safety, exceptional infrastructure and world-leading amenities add to the factors that have raised its status as a medical tourism hub, he noted. The three specialities that saw the highest number of medical tourists were dermatology (31%) dentistry (24%) and gynecology (18%). Medical tourists from Asia, Europe and Africa, including from GCC and Arab countries also visited Dubai for treatment in the fields of orthopaedics, plastic surgery, ophthalmology, fertility treatments, hospitalisation and recovery. Al Ketbi further said Dubai’s vision to provide a world-class healthcare model and an integrated medical care system that offers cutting-edge facilities, advanced technologies, smart solutions and state-of-the-art treatment methods, as well as highly-qualified professionals across all fields of medicine have driven its global competitiveness in the sector. Highlighting the fact that the healthcare sector plays an important role in enhancing the quality of life of people, Al Ketbi said the Dubai Health Authority has adopted a clear strategy to expand the role of this vital sector in raising the welfare of the community. DHA is committed to attracting …

United Airlines has launched a new nonstop daily service between its New York/Newark hub and Dubai International (DXB). United is the only U.S. airline to offer non-stop flights between Dubai and the United States, flying to more destinations in the Middle East than any other U.S. airline. The new service marks United’s return to Dubai, which the airline previously served up until 2016. The launch of the new service is part of United’s historic commercial agreement with Emirates, announced in 2022, enhancing each airline’s network and giving customers easier access to hundreds of destinations within the United States and around the world. Customers from the U.S. flying to Dubai can travel onwards with Emirates or its sister airline flydubai to more than 100 different cities, providing more options to connect across the Middle East than ever before, whilst customers flying from Dubai to New York can take advantage of onward connections with United to over 80 destinations across the Americas. The agreement between United and Emirates also provides loyalty programme members of both airlines additional opportunities for more rewards: United MileagePlusSM members flying on United’s Newark/New York to Dubai flight can earn and redeem miles when connecting beyond to select Emirates destinations in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, whilst Emirates Skywards members will be able to earn miles when they travel on United operated flights. Customers booked to fly in United PolarisSM can also take advantage of access to Emirates lounges when travelling on, or connecting to and from, United’s new Dubai service. “At United, we’re committed to expanding and enhancing our network to give our customers the best access to destinations around the world – all while …

In his capacity as the Ruler of Dubai, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum issued Decree No. (5) of 2023 amending some provisions of Decree No. 25 of 2013 pertaining to the eLicensing and eTicketing System for events in Dubai. Under the provisions of Decree No. (5) of 2023, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism has waived the collection of 10% of the actual or estimated value of a ticket sold, or up to AED10 per guest, as stipulated in the previous Decree. However, it will continue to levy the fees for the annual subscription to the E-Permit and E-Ticketing system. The new Decree is one of a series resolutions issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum aimed at raising Dubai’s economic competitiveness, creating a pro-growth business environment, and further raising standards across sectors. Recently, His Highness issued a resolution to establish new corporations affiliated with Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism to enhance key economic growth drivers including business attractiveness, development initiatives, ease of doing business, consumer protection and sectoral governance. By helping enhance Dubai’s position as an international events destination, the move supports the objective of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to consolidate the emirate’s position as one of the world’s top three cities and the leadership’s vision to transform Dubai into the globe’s best city to live, visit and work. The new Decree is part of Dubai’s initiatives to constantly enhance its legislative and regulatory frameworks to improve its economic capabilities and competitiveness. It is also aligned with the emirate’s efforts to provide various incentives to strengthen Dubai’s economic ecosystem and enhance growth. Ahmed …

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) revealed positive signs of recovery for the Travel & Tourism sector in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as overseas travellers head back, providing a much-needed boost to economies across the country. The report, researched in partnership with Oxford Economics, analysed key indicators such as Travel & Tourism’s contribution to GDP, employment and traveller spend. The analysis of the impact of the Travel & Tourism sector in both cities shows that, the direct GDP contribution, jobs, and visitor spending are all bouncing back. The WTTC Cities Economic Impact Report shows that in 2019, the Travel & Tourism sector contributed almost AED 51BN to Dubai’s and AED 12.5BN to Abu Dhabi’s economy. But although the pandemic had a damaging effect for many countries around the world, the UAE demonstrated remarkable resilience.  In 2020, Travel & Tourism’s GDP contribution in both cities dropped by more than half. In Dubai it fell to AED 19.5BN and in Abu Dhabi it fell to just AED 6BN.  But the global tourism body’s research shows a strong recovery for both cities.  Dubai’s Travel & Tourism sector is forecast to have reached AED 46BN, only 10% below 2019 levels and Abu Dhabi’s Travel & Tourism sector is expected to have grown to AED 11BN last year, just 12% below 2019 levels. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “City destinations in the UAE continue to grow in popularity for travellers from around the world. “Although these key cities were heavily affected by the pandemic, they have shown incredible resilience and signs of growth. The UAE’s Travel & Tourism sector is on the road to recovery, demonstrative of the wide appeal tourist destinations …

Ensuring that France would still be the top of the mind destination, Atout France kicks off the year with a tailor made e-learning programme designed for the travel trade in the Middle East, called “France Connaisseur.” This platform consists of 19 modules which provide content relevant to the travel trade to better understand the destination, think out of the box and design packages and itineraries combined with areas in France that are hitherto unknown. Karim Mekachera – Director Middle East and Turkey – Atout France addressing the travel trade shared that it was important to keep the travel trade updated after the challenging years, hence they conducted various research and compiled a platform tailor made for the region. Mekachera reiterated about the destination France plan for 2030. “The e-learning platform is brand new and today we launched it for the first time in the region. The whole world went through a crisis, but the resilience is there so now we have to update the knowledge of the travel trade professionals on the knowledge about the destination, this is the first reason, secondly, we want to go beyond the traditional destinations and we have to help the travel trade to think outside the box, for this we need to give them the right tools and the right content to design some new itineraries, new packages for their clientele. I think of course, Paris is Paris, the gateway to France, the French Alps for Ski and the French Riviera for the summer season but there are also many other destinations to discover in the country and that is the aim of this e-learning programme.” Zamira Ismatova – Travel Trade Manager Middle East …

Dubai received 14.36 million international overnight visitors in 2022, growing 97 per cent YoY from the 7.28 million tourist arrivals in 2021, according to the latest data published by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). The growth, which enabled the emirate to surpass global and regional tourism recovery levels, contributes to the goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top three cities for travel and business. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai said: “Dubai’s ability to rapidly accelerate tourism growth, which has marked it out as a clear frontrunner in the international industry,  demonstrates the far-reaching vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to transform the emirate into an important global player in shaping the future of vital sectors. The remarkable rise in international visitation in 2022 supports the ambitious goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to double the size of the emirate’s economy by 2033. The tourism and travel sector contributes significantly to the leadership’s aim of making the emirate a model for excellence in the global economy. “The exceptional growth in the inflow of visitors reflects Dubai’s continued rise as one of the world’s most connected cities and its determination to lead the world in hospitality infrastructure and service levels. The high growth shows the world that we never rest on our achievements and constantly work to raise our benchmarks. I am confident that Dubai will …

At the 5th edition of the Dubai Global Wedding Excellence (GWE) retreat and forum recently where the event provides a platform for representatives from the wedding, lifestyle and events sectors to network, share ideas and exchange best practices it was shared that Dubai is fast emerging as the city of choice for destination weddings, with a growing number of wedding and event planners across the world recommending the city to couples as the perfect venue to celebrate their weddings. The city’s world-class infrastructure, picturesque resorts, luxury hospitality offerings, services, exceptional track record for safety, and diverse tourism attractions have made it the ideal destination for organising memorable social events. People across the world are increasingly choosing Dubai to celebrate not only weddings but also milestone celebrations and personal occasions. With the availability of highly-skilled wedding and event planners, its distinctive locations, eclectic culinary scene, cultural diversity, and unmatched packages for all budgets, Dubai offers a special experience for wedding couples and guests. As part of efforts to showcase Dubai as a hub for destination weddings, the city hosted the 5th edition of the Dubai Global Wedding Excellence (GWE) retreat and forum from January 9-10. The event drew wide participation from industry and destination experts, event and wedding planners and companies specialised in providing wedding facilities and services Laila Suhail, CEO of Strategic Alliances & Partnerships Sector, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, commented: “We are proud to highlight Dubai’s world class proposition as the city of choice for destination weddings in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the …

Dubai has been crowned the No.1 global destination in the TripadvisorⓇ Travellers’ Choice Awards for a second successive year, consolidating its position as the world’s favourite tourist destination. The recognition supports the goal of the recently launched Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top three destinations for tourism and business. Dubai’s top international ranking was announced by TripadvisorⓇ, the world’s largest travel guidance platform, at its annual Travellers’ ChoiceⓇ Best of the Best Destination Awards 2023. The back-to-back global seals of approval underscore the significant efforts to bolster the city’s vibrant economy and tourism ecosystem as it seeks to deliver the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the world’s most visited and liveable city. Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award winners are uniquely chosen by millions of travellers from around the world, who provide their real and unbiased reviews or opinions on destinations, activities and experiences.  The quality and quantity of independent destination reviews and ratings from travellers covered a period of 12 months from 1 November 2021 to 31 October 2022. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai commented: “The top ranking by global travellers reflects the vision of the leadership to transform Dubai into the world’s top destination for tourism and business, as embodied by a key goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. The Agenda’s objective of consolidating Dubai’s status as one of world’s top three cities for tourism and business signifies the leadership’s determination to mark Dubai out …

During the Monaco Boat Show, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) announced upgrades to marina facilities, new legislation, cruising permit extensions, the expansion of professional yachting and maritime academies for new industry talent, and more seamless processes for obtaining charter permits, alongside the streamlining of immigration and customs clearance services, further amplifying Dubai’s appeal as a global superyacht hub. Yousuf Lootah, Acting CEO of Corporate Strategy and Performance sector, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, commented: “Dubai continues to grow in stature as a leading marine tourism destination and a global superyacht capital through the combined efforts and support of our valued stakeholders. Inspired by our visionary leadership to position the UAE as the best destination in the world to live in, work and visit, we remain committed to investing in facilities and infrastructure, whilst ensuring that the process for docking in Dubai’s marinas is smooth and seamless. We also strive to inspire people by creating new experiences and will continue to play a pivotal role in showcasing the city to the globe as an international superyacht hub and a magnet for marine leisure tourists.” With its world-class infrastructure, advanced facilities, year-round sunshine, luxury marinas, award-winning tourism offerings, rich maritime history and picturesque coastline, Dubai has emerged as the quintessential yachting destination. Following Dubai’s participation recently at the Monaco Yacht Show, and the recent Gulf Superyacht Summit 2022 hosted in Dubai under the patronage of P&O Marinas with participation from government and private sectors, industry professionals, thought-leaders, experts, and yacht owners the future is looking brighter for Dubai’s yachting industry, with increased investment in marine infrastructure and facilities, streamlined industry legislation, and a proliferation of nautical events set to …

Dubai has a stunning new location to take in some of the city’s most spectacular sights in the form of The Viewing Point at Dubai Creek Harbour. The eye-catching, 70-metre structure spans out over Dubai Creek, with a 26m cantilever projecting out over the water giving unobstructed views across the Creek towards Downtown Dubai and back inland between the Address Grand twin towers. The new focal point is one of the key elements of the Dubai Creek Harbour masterplan, and has been designed to seamlessly blend in with its surroundings. Its positioning at the end of one of the area’s most populated pedestrian walkways will ensure significant footfall to one of the city’s most creative structures and one which will allow time for stunning photography and videos clips – it is perfect for anyone looking for that idyllic Instagram post, whether you are an in-demand influencer or someone who simply loves snapping on a phone. Standing 11.65m above the water level, the walkway offers a magnificent vista of the Dubai Creek and surrounding areas, and unique views of Downtown Dubai’s incredible skyline. Its innovative design has already proved a talking point with residents and visitors alike, and is perfect for friends and families to gather and take in the beautiful surrounds, or bask in the sensational sunsets to be enjoyed from Dubai’s newest vantage point. The design and build of the bridge have been executed using a painted steel to give its final effect and the unique overall appearance of this one-of-a-kind architectural piece. The Viewing Point at Dubai Creek Harbour is now open and can be enjoyed free of charge by both residents and visitors.