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Discuss this article (6 Comments)UAE tourists seen down by 3% in 2009 - study
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Thursday, 22 October 2009
VISITOR NUMBERS: A new report has predicted a three percent fall in tourists visiting the UAE in 2009. (Getty Images)
The number of tourists visiting the UAE in 2009 is predicted to be about three percent lower than in the previous year, a new report has said.
The drop in visitors to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates, compared to a 10 percent growth in 2008 over 2007, was attributed to the continuing economic problems being seen in the US and Europe, key markets for the UAE, Business Monitor said.
In its UAE Tourism Report Q3 published this month, the research house said: "Our forecast of negative growth in tourist arrivals in 2009 remains -3 percent year-on-year."
But the report also predicted a "slight recovery in growth" in 2010.
"The poor outlook for the tourism sector in the short term is based on the impact of further downward revisions this quarter to BMI's forecasts for the UK and key European economies which together accounted for 40 percent of all arrivals in the UAE in 2007," the report added.
"Taking into account a much weaker growth in tourist arrivals to Dubai in Q109 and a slowdown in growth of arrivals to Sharjah and Abu Dhabi last year, BMI continues to maintain that the UAE will face a challenging period ahead in the tourism sector."
BMI also estimated that the growth in visitors in 2008, compared to 2007, was about 10 percent at around 9.7m arrivals.
Earlier this month, a report by PKF The Consulting House said Dubai hotels were likely to see an increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) from the fourth quarter.
Average daily rates (ADR) and RevPAR - two benchmarks for the hotel industry - were both expected to rise during December and would continue to increase, added the report.
“Hotels in Dubai can look forward with optimism to increasing occupancies and ADR through Q4 2009 and a positive outlook for 2010 and beyond,” it said.
Dubai's hotel room inventory is expected to reach 54,000 in 2010, a massive 40 percent increase on figures for 2008.
Sami Al Ansari, CEO of Ishraq Gulf Estate Holding, said the huge increase in the number of rooms available presented the next challenge for the hotels sector, which had struggling this year amid the global economic slowdown.
READERS' COMMENTS
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More tourists from ME
Posted by Jesus of Dubai on Tuesday 27 October 2009 at 21:11 UAE time
I have noticed that there are a LOT more tourists from Iran. Which doesn't translate well to revenues!
I run a business which is directly linked to Tourism, and I can tell you that our figures are down about 30-40%
Posted by Jesus of Dubai on Tuesday 27 October 2009 at 21:11 UAE time
I have noticed that there are a LOT more tourists from Iran. Which doesn't translate well to revenues!
I run a business which is directly linked to Tourism, and I can tell you that our figures are down about 30-40%
DubaiTourism.com is for sale !
Posted by BRANDO, London, GB on Friday 23 October 2009 at 15:41 UAE time
Having the domain www.DubaiTourism.com which is owned by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing pointing to a blank white page that just says "It works" is hardly likely to help in any way to increase tourism.
That domain very likely gets hundreds if not thousands of visitors each month going straight to it, somebody in that department needs to be fired !
Sorry, but it appears your internet marketing skills are bordering on the rediculous sometimes.
Posted by BRANDO, London, GB on Friday 23 October 2009 at 15:41 UAE time
Having the domain www.DubaiTourism.com which is owned by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing pointing to a blank white page that just says "It works" is hardly likely to help in any way to increase tourism.
That domain very likely gets hundreds if not thousands of visitors each month going straight to it, somebody in that department needs to be fired !
Sorry, but it appears your internet marketing skills are bordering on the rediculous sometimes.
No signs of visitors
Posted by The Don, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Friday 23 October 2009 at 10:58 UAE time
The reality that I have noticed over the past 6 months or more that there are no visitors at all coming to Dubai. Hotels are almost empty, no signs of tourist buses in any of the malls, no tourists walking around, beaches are empty...where are those visitors (the number remaining after the 3% drop)?
Posted by The Don, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Friday 23 October 2009 at 10:58 UAE time
The reality that I have noticed over the past 6 months or more that there are no visitors at all coming to Dubai. Hotels are almost empty, no signs of tourist buses in any of the malls, no tourists walking around, beaches are empty...where are those visitors (the number remaining after the 3% drop)?
tourist arrivals
Posted by Kumar A, dubai, united arab emirates on Friday 23 October 2009 at 02:21 UAE time
if they predict a 3% general drop then how come the arrivals rose 19.5 % in september.
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/571192-dubai-sees-195-rise-in-air-passengers-in-sept
Perhaps they have taken into account all the residents returning from vacation as visitors.
please correlate figures with earlier reports even before it goes in print. Credibility will be further eroded by such statements which are 2 extremes.
Posted by Kumar A, dubai, united arab emirates on Friday 23 October 2009 at 02:21 UAE time
if they predict a 3% general drop then how come the arrivals rose 19.5 % in september.
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/571192-dubai-sees-195-rise-in-air-passengers-in-sept
Perhaps they have taken into account all the residents returning from vacation as visitors.
please correlate figures with earlier reports even before it goes in print. Credibility will be further eroded by such statements which are 2 extremes.
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