Dubai Cruise Tourism, along with its partners DP World and Emirates Airline, has hosted a strategic familiarisation (FAM) trip for 100 top media and travel agents from Portugal and Spain. The trip forms part of the ongoing efforts of the recently formed Dubai Cruise Committee to raise the profile of Dubai as a global hub for cruising and provided this group of key industry professionals with first-hand experience of the city as a cruise destination, enabling them to write about and raise awareness of and extensively promote Dubai-based cruise itineraries in their respective markets.
As part of the trip, the Dubai Cruise Committee took the group on a tour of the world-class Dubai Cruise Terminals in Mina Rashid, demonstrating the state-of-the art facilities available at the port. Key industry insights were also provided that will assist the travel trade when selling Dubai-based cruise itineraries to clients in their home countries.
The group also had the opportunity to move outside the port and experience a variety of Dubai’s tourism offerings. Activities included everything from visits to cultural and heritage sites, to trips to modern attractions and the chance to experience Dubai’s beautiful beaches. In addition, the group was provided with unique shopping and gastronomic experiences. This diverse itinerary was designed to showcase the breadth of Dubai’s ever-expanding tourism proposition, demonstrating the destination’s appeal to all market segments.
The FAM trip was organized in conjunction with Pullmantur Cruises, a leading Spanish cruise line. Pullmantur will commence its inaugural Arabian Gulf itinerary from the 2018/2019 season with Dubai as its winter home port. The cruise line will deploy a 47,000 gross tonnage ship with a passenger capacity of over 1,800. , resulting in an additional 45,000 cruise tourists visiting the city in one season alone. The ship’s seven-night Arabian Gulf itinerary will commence from Dubai every Sunday and is scheduled to run from early December 2018 until mid-March 2019.
The FAM trip comes shortly after the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Dubai’s strategic network of leading cruise tourism partners; Dubai Tourism, DP World UAE Region FZE, Emirates Airline, The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai, and Dubai Customs. This collective agreement formed the Dubai Cruise Committee and marked implementation of a collaborative framework designed to consolidate the city’s position as ‘cruise hub of the region.
Dubai is fast becoming a favoured destination amongst the international cruise lines and cruise tourists, and the Emirate welcomed over 625,000 cruise tourists to the city during the 2016/2017 season, with over half a million cruise tourists already visiting the city in this current season. Looking ahead, Dubai’s cruise industry is set for another strong performance during the upcoming 2018/2019 season, with 725,000 cruise tourists expected to be welcomed. This performance, and the addition of Pullmantur Cruises to city’s homeporting roster, is in line with Dubai Cruise Tourism’s strategic goal of welcoming one million cruise tourists by the 2020/2021 season and serving as the winter home port for 10 of the world’s leading international cruise lines.
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