Hotels critical to successful hosting of World Expo

If you want to see how popular the UAE is as a tourism destination, try to book a local hotel. Rooms are often scarce and, of course, rates are comparable with most international destinations. That is a good indicator for the economy, but it is also a major concern. World Expo 2020 is six years away, but that means the country has only six years to double the number of hotels — a target outlined in the Dubai Tourism Vision for 2020 that was announced last year. The UAE will need that many hotels to host the 20 million people it plans to welcome.

The directives from His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance and streamline hotel investment and development in Dubai, will be ideal in helping the country’s tourism industry build the infrastructure needed for tourists. Those directives will cut down the amount of time needed to secure pre-approval for new hotels, as well as provide much-needed land.

It is another step forward to ensure the country hosts a successful Expo, as well as its on-going mission to diversify the economy.