Dubai cruise ship visits to double by 2013

Dubai is planning to double the number of visiting cruise ships by 2013 as part of moves to boost tourism in the emirate.

Tourism chiefs outlined their plans as the city's new cruise terminal was opened by Dubai Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Tuesday.

Developed and operated by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) at the Port Rashid complex, the new facility will have a capacity to accommodate four cruise ships simultaneously.

In 2009, Dubai played a host to 87 cruise ships that brought 261,000 cruise tourists to the emirate while this year, Dubai will be hosting 120 ships with more than 325,000 passengers

By 2013, the terminal is expected to receive 165 ships with 475,000 passengers, reaching 180 ships with 525,000 passengers in 2014 and 195 ships with 575,000 passengers in 2015.

Khalid A bin Sulayem, DTCM director general, said: "The opening of state-of-the-art facility is a major milestone in our tourism journey. The cruise tourism plays a crucial role in the overall growth and development of the tourism industry in the emirate...The new terminal will meet the increase demand that has been recorded in cruise tourists to Dubai."

The terminal includes a money exchange, ATMs, post office, duty free shop, souvenir shops, gift shops, and business centre with free internet access, Wi-Fi enabled for lap-top users, VIP Majlis, and toilets with access to physically-challenged visitors.

Also on Tuesday, Dubai became the first Arab city to witness the naming ceremony for a passenger cruise ship - Costa Deliziosa.

Costa Deliziosa left Savona on the Grand Maiden Cruise and arrived in Dubai with more than 2,600 passengers.

Weighing 92,600 gross tonnage and with a total guest capacity of 2,826, the new ship has been built at a total cost of 450 million euros.

During winter 2010/11 the Costa Deliziosa and Costa Luminosa - Costa's top of the range offer - will be offering seven-day cruises in the Arabian Gulf with departure from Dubai and stopovers in Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain.

 «« back