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Dubai ready for the future

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A rendering of the boardwalk at Dubai Parks & Resorts, set to open October 2016

A series of key announcements at this year’s Arabian Travel Market demonstrate strong continued growth in tourism within Dubai.

 
The existing passenger terminal at Dubai’s second airport, Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central (DWC), is being expanded to boost the current capacity of six million passengers a year to 26 million by 2018. Construction is scheduled for completion by the end of Q1 2017 with this expansion a precursor to the $32bn expansion project announced last September to create the world’s biggest airport with an ultimate capacity in excess of 200 million passengers per year.


Citizens from a total of 46 countries are now able to obtain a visa on arrival, boosted by the March 2014 addition of 13 EU member states to the existing 15 member states already eligible. These changes, along with new flights to Eastern Europe by both Emirates and flydubai, are already coming to fruition. In the past year visitors from EU states Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania, for example, are up by 104 per cent, 86 per cent and 64 per cent respectively.


The layout of Legoland Dubai, part of Dubai Parks and Resorts, was unveiled at the show – as a 3D map built out of 150,000 Lego bricks. Set to open in October 2016 as part of Dubai Parks and Resorts, the park spans three million square feet and features more than 40 interactive rides, shows and attractions and 15,000 Lego model structures made from more than 60 million Lego bricks. Located close to the Palm Jebel Ali, the Park becomes the Middle East’s first Legoland, and the seventh in the world.

Kazim … we won’t lose sight of who we are


Four Seasons unveiled its plans to open its second hotel in Dubai; developer Nakheel announced its partnership with Spain’s RIU Hotels & Resorts to open on the future Deira Islands; Melia is to open in Dubai’s Downtown and InterContinental cited its plan to open Dubai’s first fully solar-powered hotel.


On the side lines of Arabian Travel Market, TTN spoke to the CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), Issam Abdul Rahim Kazim about the Emirati culture of hospitality and its future.


With so many new products in the pipeline, is Dubai at risk of losing its core Emirati identity? 


“The Dubai I grew up in, the charming old place, it’s still very much around. 


“We don’t want to lose that and we don’t think we will. There was never a risk of losing that. If you look at the way things have evolved, even though we are just 20 per cent of the population, you will still see the kandooras and the abayas. They may have evolved in fashion but they are very much representative of the Emirati culture.


“Even as English becomes more and more apparent as the language of choice it doesn’t mean that people have let go of Arabic. You will still find the local food and culture.


“In fact, some of the older parts of Dubai existed even before the UAE was formed. Some sites such as the Sheikh Saeed Palace have been around since the late 1800s and we have taken care to preserve them.”


“Maybe we didn’t do a good enough job of highlighting that in the past, but it is an important part of who we are and it will find more traction in our communications,” the CEO says candidly.


“When I travel, I like to explore as much as possible. It’s important to see what’s being done in other destinations and learn from them.


“I’m intrigued and fascinated by different flavours, I’m not a picky eater, I love to discover menus.


“Outside the region, I like going to India – I’ve been there quite a few number of times and have seen a number of places too. I’ve been to Mumbai, New Delhi, Mysore, Ooty, Panchgani and Kodaikanal. Similarly, I’ve explored Australia, Singapore and London.


“South America is where I’d love to go some day.”


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Schengen waiver a victory for the UAE


The UAE and the European Union signed a historic bilateral short-stay visa waiver agreement exempting the UAE citizens from Schengen visa and making UAE the first Arab country to receive such a visa waiver for its nationals.


Citizens of the UAE who hold diplomatic, special, service and ordinary passports will be able to travel without a visa to 34 Schengen countries for stays of up to 90 days.


This historic achievement demonstrates the respect the UAE enjoys in the international community and the close cooperation with the EU.

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