Dubai: Dubai International Airport finished the year 2013 with a 15.2 per cent rise in passengers compared to 2012, as domestic economic growth and increased tourist numbers fuelled the gains.
According to the figures released on Friday by Airports Council International (ACI), Dubai handled 66 million passengers last year. Abu Dhabi and Sharjah airports saw increases of 12.4 per cent and 12 per cent respectively.
Registering a 10.1 per cent year-on-year growth, Middle East airports left the airports in Asia Pacific region behind, which recorded only 7.2 per cent growth during the same period. And Middle East saw a 10.5 per cent growth in December 2013 compared to December 2012 figures.
Dubai again came out strong in the air freight traffic growth with a 7.4 per cent increase in 2013 over 2012, said ACI.
In the Middle East, Abu Dhabi outperformed the rest by handling 24.4 per cent more cargo than 2012.
ACI added in the statement that Middle Eastern airports continued their steady growth in air freight traffic and recorded 5.4 per cent increase year-on-year. In Asia-Pacific, air freight traffic rose slightly by 0.9 per cent in 2013 compared to 2012.
