US tourists spend $733m in the UAE

TOURISM CASH: US tourists spent $733m in the UAE on their Visa cards in 2008. (Getty Images)

US tourists to the UAE contributed $733m to the local economy in 2008, up 85 percent on the previous year, latest figures published on Wednesday showed.

According to the new Tourism Outlook: USA report from Visa Inc, the average purchase amount for travellers from the US while visiting the UAE was $139.69.

At the same time, Emirati travellers spent $262 million on their Visa branded payment cards while visiting the US in 2008, a 49 percent increase over 2007.

In 2008, Visa cardholders from around the globe spent more than $53 billion on their payment cards while visiting the US.

Commenting on the significance of the findings for the UAE, Kamran Siddiqi, general manager, Visa Inc, MENA, said: "Travel and tourism are key revenue streams for Visa and it is important for us to understand the travel habits of our cardholders.

"In turn, this allows us to continue to offer value added travel rewards to our cardholders and enhance the experience, convenience and security of traveling with a Visa card."

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