As head of sales and marketing activities for Costa Cruises in the Middle East, Dario Rustico can be credited with helping to lead the charge for the development of the cruise industry in the Middle East. The Italian cruise liner, Costa Cruises was the first one to earmark the Gulf as a regular cruise destination back in 2006; so it has played a huge role in the growth of cruise tourism to the region.
In February this year, the Costa Deliziosa became the first ship ever to be inaugurated in an Arab country. The lavish ceremony which took place in Dubai shined the spotlight on the Gulf cruise sector, providing a huge boost for the regional cruise industry. Last year’s sailing season saw Costa ships make 42 stopovers in Dubai, bringing in a total of 220,000 passengers to the emirate.
Rustico has pledged furher commitment to the industry. He recently opened a dedicated representative office in Dubai, and in a bid to tap into the local Arab market has promised that all Costa ships operating out of Dubai will offer dedicated facilities for Arab customers such as halal food, prayer rooms and Arabic speaking staff.
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