Destination's tourism trade is enjoying the good times
IAN STALKER
Dubai’s tourism trade is on a roll, with the Middle Eastern destination last year posting a record number of visitors, topping pre-Covid numbers while doing so.
Cibele Moulin of Dubai Economy and Tourism told a recent Toronto gathering that Dubai last year hosted 17.1 million visitors, with Canadian visitations alone up 36% from the pre-pandemic year of 2019.
“2023 was our best year… for us. No more pandemic,” she said.
Moulin also used the event to report that Dubai — home to the extremely swank Burj Al-Arab hotel — now has 821 hotels that collectively have some 150,000 rooms.
The destination is frequently viewed as a retreat for the wealthy alone but Moulin said that isn’t the case.
“Dubai is for everyone… Obviously, Dubai is known for its amazing luxury properties but we have rooms for every type of client,” she said of a one-time “fishing village that went to a booming metropolis.”
The average Dubai visitor spends 3.7 nights there but Canadians tend to spend a week in the destination.
Direct air service is available between Montreal and Dubai with Emirates, while both Air Canada and Emirates link Toronto with Dubai.
Among Dubai attractions cited by Moulin were the Museum of Future. “It actually shows you what the future is going to look like.”
There are beaches that are the exclusive retreat of luxury hotels, she continued.
Meanwhile, Keshwar Bhagat of Discover the World, which works with Dubai’s tourism board, acknowledged that Dubai is viewed as a modern destination but said its past is also on display.
“The Old Port of Dubai is completely different. It’s old and it’s traditional,,” she said, adding that those who visit it can explore its souks or markets.
Bhagat said those who visit Dubai can also go on desert safaris that have them overnighting in Bedouin tents, and find beaches in the sun-soaked destination.
Justin Gosling of Discover the World and Cibele Moulin of Dubai Economy and Tourism were on hand in Toronto to update people on Dubai.
Bhagat said Dubai is suited for families, among other things having numerous waterparks, including the largest waterpark in the world.
An indoor ski hill that actually has snow in a part of the world known for high temperatures also awaits visitors, she added.
Among those on hand for the event was Rudolph Nareen of Astor Travels, who conceded that Dubai does have an expensive image but labelled it a “very good destination” and said it’s “fascinating” to see modern architecture built in a desert surrounding.
