Dubai sees rise of 75% in cruise tourist arrivals

Dubai: Cruise tourist arrivals in Dubai will grow more than 75 per cent to 200,000 this year in a boost to the city's ambition of becoming a maritime business hub.

Official figures show the city has come a long way as a cruise destination in five years. Dubai received just 2,700 cruise passengers from five ship calls in 2003, but last year 113,000 cruise passengers visited the city.

Cruise tourists have grown dramatically since European operator Costa Crociere began using Dubai as hub for cruises, also covering Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Bahrain.

"We expect the number of cruise tourists to exceed 200,000 in 2008," Hamad Mohammad Bin Majren, executive director of business development at Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), told reporters aboard the AIDAdiva cruise ship.

The ship, which can carry 646 crew and 2,500 passengers, has begun its new winter schedule out of Dubai and will make 18 port calls between December 4 and April 9.

Another Costa vessel, the 2,394-passenger capacity ship Costa Victoria, will call at Dubai tomorrow.

The Italy-based group is offering services from Dubai under its two brands, Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises.

Asked about the impact of the ongoing global economic crisis on cruise bookings, Costa Crociere chairman and chief executive officer Pier Luigi Foschi said prices are under pressure but people are still willing to travel.

"There will be a little pressure on prices ... we are confident we will not lose market share," he said.

Cruise passengers at Port Rashid are being processed for customs and immigration facilities at a makeshift facility as the port's only cruise terminal is closed due to ongoing construction work in the area. Costa officials said they were disappointed with the ad hoc facilities and asked for better services to passengers.