Can Dubai make its tourism vision come true?

Ten years ago the Dubai International Airport announced a target of 25 million passengers by 2005, and everybody laughed. That was three times the throughput of travelers at that time and it seemed ludicrous to think this could happen. Similarly when the spanking new Shiekh Rashid airport terminal opened a few years, most people assumed it would take years to fill up.

Today the new terminal at Dubai International Airport is full to the brim, and the 25 million passenger target is exceeded. Indeed, another terminal is badly needed and a $4.2 billion third terminal is in an advanced state of construction.

For this is where Dubai gets it so right in tourism. Plans are not just hot air - they are quickly turned into concrete investments in new infrastructure. Impressive modern airport terminals are one thing, aircraft are another.

Emirates Airline leads

The Dubai Government airline Emirates has grown rapidly to deliver visitors to Dubai in comfort and luxury, setting new standards for the aviation industry which others now copy. For the next eight years Emirates will take delivery of an average of one aircraft per month, and no less than 45 A380 super jumbos are on order.

Indeed, as Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said recently the main limitation on the growth of the tourism sector in Dubai in now the pace of hotel development. This investment has been left mainly to the private sector which has been slower than the Dubai Government is getting on with infrastructure development.

Currently the Dubai hotels are not only full but they are charging some of the highest room rates in the world. Owners have been keener to cash-in on the economic and tourism boom than to commit cash to new properties.

Many hotel projects

However, there is presently a huge backlog of hotel projects in Dubai, mainly on The Crescent of The Palm, Jumeirah and in the new Dubai International Financial Centre district. It is to be hoped that the private sector promoters of these hotels now get on with building them.

Certainly there can be no doubt that the demand exists for new hotel rooms, or that the Dubai Government is supporting the tourism sector with its airport, airline and also the huge Dubailand project. Hotel developers should surely note that Dubai is committed to a long-term tourism plan. Otherwise the multi-billion dollar Dubailand theme park project would not be going ahead, let alone the massive airline and airport expansion.

The whole idea of Dubailand is to create an attraction that will encourage visitors to spend more time and money in Dubai, and it will be this kind of vision that brings 15 million visitors to Dubai by 2012, and a good many more in subsequent years.