Dubai: Dubai Parks and Resorts recorded a 45 per cent increase in visitor turnout for its rides and other attractions in the first three months of 2018. In all, there were 851,000 visitors, which also represents a 55,000 increase on the numbers recorded in the fourth quarter of 2017.

The January to March end tally thus represents a “new record quarter visitation figure”, the theme park operator said in a statement on Thursday.

“Visitor numbers are steadily increasing as we continue to focus on our core markets of GCC residents, annual pass holders and international visitation,” stated Mohammad Al Mulla, CEO, DXB Entertainments.

“It is important to note that in a normal annual cycle the fourth quarter should deliver the highest visitor numbers as it is the peak tourist season for the city of Dubai and therefore quarter-on-quarter improvement is a further sign of our continued growth.

“Theme parks are seasonal in nature and whilst we expect to deliver year-on-year growth, we anticipate the warmer second quarter to deliver lower visitation than the cooler months of the first quarter.”

The Lapita Hotel had an average occupancy of 62 per cent in the first quarter of 2018 compared to 22 per cent for the same period last year and 48 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2017.

This is the first full year of operations for Dubai Parks and Resorts and the “growing visitor numbers and hotel occupancy reflect the ramp up in operations and the implementation of coordinated resident and international sales and marketing strategies”, it added in the statement.