Summer tourism in Dubai gets a boost from the DSS

While the emirate is being promoted as a sunshine destination in major European countries during the chilling winter months, it is gradually turning into a popular tourist hub even during the traditionally lean summer months.

Celebrating its tenth year this time, the DSS hopes to attract family visitors from around the world since the event is aiming to promote Dubai as a leading global summer destination. DSS had a notable presence in two significant travel and tourism exhibitions earlier this year - the International Tourism Exchange (ITB-2007) in Berlin, Germany, and the Moscow International Travel and Tourism (MITT 2007) exhibition and the first ever road show in the Far East. There are a lot of expectations from the Far East market this time round where aggressive marketing and promotional campaigns are being carried out to attract families to enjoy Dubai's leisure and shopping facilities.

The DSS has shown a consistent growth pattern in its decade of existence. Having grown steadily on the popularity charts this unique summer fiesta has attracted visitors in greater numbers every year. In its inaugural year the 10-week DSS attracted 600,000 visitors. In consecutive years, from 1999 to 2005 the number surged from 750,000 to 1.51 million people. The visitor number rose further to 1.875 million last year. The projected visitor traffic in the tenth year is expected to be 2.16 million, which is about 15 per cent higher than the previous year. Similarly, the total spend during the DSS has also seen an upward climb ever since its inception in the year 1998. In 2005 DSS visitors spent over Dh1.72 billion which grew to Dh2.57 billion in 2006. This year a 20 per cent rise is estimated making the total spend 3.08 billion, which is no mean feat by any account.

There are statistics to prove that summer is no longer seen as a lean period in the UAE thanks to the thriving tourism industry which gets a major impetus from the DSS. The two-and-a-half month long summer fiesta offers entertainment and leisure facilities besides great shopping in some of the most luxurious malls of the world. According to Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Dubai, (DTCM) reports the room occupancy rate of Dubai hotels in the third quarter of 2006 was 88.4 per cent. It was also announced the total revenues of Dubai hotels and hotel apartments crossed the Dh11 billion mark in 2006 and hosted 6.5 million guests.

A major attraction for the global visitors, besides the shopping and winning opportunities, are the world-class events being organised during the DSS which includes top quality global entertaining shows and music concerts that appeal to tourists from different cultural backgrounds and serve as a magnet to pull in more visitors from all parts of the world.

Airlines are gearing up to receive higher number of inbound tourists from across the globe during the upcoming DSS. Emirates Airlines revealed that the sales of tickets for the holidays have significantly gone up as a result of the special DSS packages introduced in various world markets.

Dubai's infrastructure is second to none in terms of offering comfort and relaxation to guests from any corner of the world. UAE's emphasis on developing an economy that is not entirely dependent on oil revenues has led to the implementation of several multi-billion dirham projects in the public as well as the private sector attracting tourists from around the world. The country is being promoted as a year round destination that provides the best of everything offering world class resorts, exclusive shopping and a safe, crime-free environment. Coupled with a generous dose of traditional Arabian hospitality the visitors feel at home here and want to come back again.

According to statistics released by Visa International, spending by visitors to the UAE during summer increased by 30 per cent to Dh1.255 billion in 2005, against 2004. Tourists and business travellers from the UK spent Dh271.5 million in the summer months of June, July and August 2005, the largest amount spent by any group. Saudis spent Dh150.46 million while visitors from the US were third spending Dh143.12 million, followed by Kuwaitis who spent Dh62.38 million. Thereby, supporting the strong potential of the emirate towards becoming a much sought after tourism hub in the global arena.

The upward climb of the tourism industry in the UAE is seen to get a further boost with Dubai's fast paced development. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has, in its long-term forecast for the UAE travel and tourism sector potentials, said that earnings from inbound visitors would grow by 7.2 per cent annually till 2015.