Business | Tourism
Capital's cruise arrivals set to rise
Tourism authority forecasts 59% increase in passengers for next season.
- Staff Report
- Published: 23:45 July 10, 2009
Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi is eyeing 59 per cent growth in cruise passenger arrivals in the 2009-10 season.
Forecasts by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which manages the emirate's tourism industry and promotes the destination, expects 199,113 arrivals next season, which will run from the end of November to the beginning of next May, compared with 125,200 last season.
"The forecast is based on the 100 per cent occupancy level achieved by the cruise ships using Abu Dhabi as a port of call last season," said Ahmad Hussain, ADTA Deputy Director General.
"The increase is due to the inclusion of Abu Dhabi in Royal Caribbean International's weekly itinerary for its vessel Brilliance of the Seas, which has a passenger capacity of 2,501, and the fact that Costa Cruises intends to boost its service to the UAE capital by introducing larger, brand new vessels with increased passenger capacity."
Due to sail into Abu Dhabi next season are the 1,266 passenger Aida Vida of Germany's Aida Cruises, and the recently commissioned Costa Deliziosa and Costa Luminosa, both of which have a 2,828 passenger capacity, in addition to Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas.
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