Dubai: Dubai’s cruise tourism industry is set to grow next year with 300,000 cruise tourists expected to visit the emirate over the 2013-2014 season, according an entity of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).
In a press release on Monday DTCM entity Dubai Cruise Tourism (DTC) stated that the local cruise industry would be bolstered by an eventful upcoming season,
In 2012 Dubai had 407,000 cruise passengers and according to previous DTCM estimates 420,000 passengers were expected to visit the emirate this year.
Instead Dubai’s cruise industry will see growth with cruise liners MSC Lirica and TUI Cruises entering the market over the next two seasons. In total current estimates expect 12 cruise liners to enter the Dubai cruise industry over the next three seasons.
“The 2012-13 cruise season reached new heights. We are proud to announce 93 confirmed ship calls this season, which include 63 home porting ship calls: 27 from Costa, 17 from Aida, and 19 from MSC ships. We’re also delighted to welcome seven maiden ship calls, a reflection of Dubai’s burgeoning appeal as a cruise hub,” Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of DTCM, stated.
Earlier this year DTCM estimates printed in Gulf News expected 110 ship calls, which was set to be an increase on the 105 ship calls in 2012.
