Leaders of the partners and stakeholders of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) have reiterated their support and appreciation for Dubai’s multi-pronged strategy to maintain the growth momentum.

Leading tourism and hotel organisations expressed their appreciation for the efforts of DET in light of its ambitious strategy that reinforces Dubai’s status as a global tourism hub. Reflecting the leadership’s visionary direction and the success of DET’s strategy, Dubai welcomed 11.4 million international overnight visitors between January and October this year, countering global headwinds.

Sultan Hassan Mohammed Almteiri, Director, Business Stakeholders and Government Relations at the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said: “Dubai’s achievements reflect the collaboration and collective contribution of government, public and private sector stakeholders including over 3,000 global partners.

“Our constant dialogue with our partners allows us to provide them with an overview of the latest domestic and global developments, enabling them to be aligned with new industry initiatives and take advantage of various campaigns and efforts that are being made to ensure Dubai remains at the forefront of the world’s leading travel destinations. We are confident of receiving their wholehearted support to ensure the success of our new initiative, the Dubai Tourism Summit, which will place Dubai at the helm of tourism industry leadership, forging a new future for innovation and creativity within the sector.”

Jochem-Jan Sleiffer, President, Middle East, Africa & Türkiye, Hilton, said: “It is wonderful to have the Skift Global Forum East in Dubai this year. The event brought together industry experts from around the world – in a tourism hotspot named Tripadvisor’s No.1 global destination for 2022. We look forward to continuing to work with the DET in 2023 to reinforce Dubai’s position as a global hub for tourism, investment and memorable visitor experiences.”

Guy Hutchinson, President & CEO, Rotana, said: “2022 has been a tremendous year for the travel and tourism industry, and we are very confident about the future of the hospitality sector in the region. At Rotana, the past year has seen multiple regional openings and a new brand launch, reinforcing our ambitious expansion plans in the UAE and beyond. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with like-minded entities and destination boards, such as the DET, to strengthen the collaboration opportunities that have been so effective in driving the growth of the travel industry, consistently putting Middle Eastern hospitality at the forefront of global performance”.

Mohammad A. Baker, Deputy Chairman and CEO of GMG, said: “As a UAE National, it gives me immense pride to witness Dubai’s extraordinary transformation and powerful position on the global map of the world’s biggest economies. This was only made possible by the UAE’s forward-thinking and visionary leaders, who have designed a bright future for not only the present residents and citizens but also for generations to come. We appreciate the DET’s efforts to draw in millions of tourists from around the world despite the world’s challenges.

“As a result, we have noticed a steady rise in customers visiting our retail stores. The vision of Dubai truly inspires us at GMG, and our company was built with the same “born to win” attitude. The year 2022 has been an exceptional one for us, with multiple acquisitions, a solid presence in the food industry, and the opening of the second largest fully automated Himalayan pink salt manufacturing facility in the world, in Dubai. We will continue our commitment to improving people’s lives through active living, nutritious food, and good health.”

Sandeep Walia, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East, Marriott International, said: “This year marked yet another incredible chapter for Dubai and its tourism sector. This destination continues to evolve as an international business and leisure hub due to its ability to adapt to change, its strong spirit of creativity and innovation, and how it consistently turns challenges into opportunities.

“Dubai remains focused on enhancing the city’s tourism competitiveness. The credit for this goes to the visionary leaders of Dubai and the Department of Economy and Tourism, who have created a very cohesive and collaborative business environment. The collaboration between the DET and organisations across the industry drives success for the city’s tourism sector. We remain committed to this partnership and the future of tourism in Dubai.

“2022 was a milestone year for Marriott International in Dubai. We are extremely proud to open our 50th hotel in the city with the launch of Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah. This market continued to be one of the top performers for the company, with performance levels surpassing those of 2019, and we are confident this upward trajectory will continue in the new year.”

Amir Golbarg, Senior Vice President – Operations, Middle East & Africa, Minor Hotels, said: “2022 has been a very positive year for Minor Hotels in the MENA region, with hotels exceeding financial targets and the expansion of our footprint with the launch of multiple properties. We opened the first luxury resort in the World Islands archipelago, Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort. The urban property Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel was launched to cater to business and leisure travellers. We are excited to go into 2023, which will see our NH Collection brand launch in the region, with two properties launching in Dubai, the extensive refurbishment of Anantara Downtown Dubai, and the announcements of other exciting projects to come soon in the new year. We are very thankful for the DET’s support. We look forward to the fruitful collaboration in 2023.”

John Bevan, CEO, dnata Travel Group, commented: “We are witnessing unprecedented passenger volumes to Dubai through our various travel businesses based in the UAE and beyond, as visitors and residents alike seek to explore more of the city than ever before. Leisure travellers through GCC-based agency dnata Travel, and our global leisure wholesaler, Yalago, are booking more stays across Dubai’s cityscape, beaches, mountains, and desert.

“At DMC Arabian Adventures, city tours are on the agenda. Thousands of passengers, including those arriving on cruise ships at Dubai Harbour, are taking to unique experiences in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. In corporate travel, dnata Travel Management is experiencing strong growth fuelled by mega-projects, company expansions, and its recently-announced preferred travel partner agreement with Amex GBT. Leveraging the support of the DET, our established, award-winning travel businesses continue to thrive while we have worked in partnership to create brands such as priohub, an online attractions marketplace, which enable us to support travellers in experiencing more of what the incredible city of Dubai has to offer.”

Haitham Mattar, Managing Director, IMEA, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “The UAE remains an important market for IHG, where we continue to expand our presence through new signings and openings, especially in Dubai, in line with the national agenda for the tourism and hospitality sector. Our hotels in the UAE recorded a strong performance this year as the Government continued to invest in projects and attractions that bring travellers to the country.

“Most recently, we have seen the opening of the Museum of the Future, in addition to some of the world’s most impressive sights and experiences, including the Burj Khalifa and The View at the Palm. Events like Expo 2020 Dubai and trade events such as Gulfood were timely, creating demand for both business and leisure and helping tourism bounce back to 2019 levels. It is with the vision and consistent support of the DET and their engaging and dynamic efforts to drive the economic and tourism agenda forward that we are looking to increase our footprint in the UAE by a third over the coming years and introduce new IHG brands to guests including Six Senses Residences, The Palm in Dubai.”

Fernando Eiroa, Chief Executive Officer Dubai Holding Entertainment, said: “As the largest entertainment group in the region, Dubai Holding Entertainment operates some of Dubai’s most iconic attractions and family destinations, attracting millions of visitors during the winter season, as well as throughout the year. We’ve seen solid growth over the past 12 months as we continue to enhance our offer providing best-in-class service and unique experiences to Dubai’s residents and tourists. As well as record numbers of events at Coca-Cola Arena and visits to Global Village and The Green Planet, we are continually innovating with new concepts. Over the last year, we have launched the regions’ first LEGOLAND Hotel, Roxy Xtreme – the largest cinema screen in the Middle East – and in November garnered global attention when we announced we will be bringing the world’s first Real Madrid-themed experience to the UAE.

“Working closely with partners such as the DET, we are enabled to offer a wide range of tailored holiday and experience packages to residents and visitors to enjoy exciting new promotions that will continue this winter and into 2023 as we continue our collective mission to play our role in helping make Dubai the world’s most popular tourist and entertainment destination.” – TradeArabia News Service