Dubai: Almost 700,000 people travelled to and from the emirate through its land, sea and air ports during the Eid Al Fitr holidays, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) revealed.
Major General Mohammad Ahmad Saeed Al Merri, Director of the GDRFA-Dubai, said entry points to the city have seen a lot of developments in recent years to accommodate the growing number of tourists and expedite all entry-related processes.
“We’re continuously developing our technologies and easing the procedures of all our services to make coming to Dubai a lot enjoyable and easier,” he said. “Our staff has been trained to handle any number of travellers coming or going from Dubai, even with the influx of visitors during holidays.”
More than 320,000 people visited the emirate through its air, sea and land ports between July 15 and 20, while 353,000 left the emirate within the same time period. A total number of 680,381 people travelled to and from the emirate during Eid Al Fitr.
GDRFA officials also said 728 ships used Dubai’s sea port, with 356 arriving in the emirate and 372 departing.
“The Directorate is committed to providing the best services to all its customers,” Maj Gen Al Merri said, “as per the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.”
The GDRFA director also praised the directorate’s employees for their commitment and for doing their job to the fullest during the Eid break, as it contributed greatly to the ease of entry and exit of visitors to Dubai.
Last year, an estimated 590,000 people, 28 per cent from the GCC, visited the emirate. However, as last year’s Eid fell on a Monday, last year’s celebrations enjoyed an extended weekend, which could account for the higher number of visitors. Public sector workers last year enjoyed a nine-day Eid break.
