Best Reasons For Which Tourism Is Set To Boom In Dubai And Abu Dhabi In 2023
2023 is a year in which people have big plans following the pandemic. Tourism is an industry that’s slated to flourish this year, especially since the pandemic is basically over and travel is on the table once again without so many restrictions.
The UAE has seen significant
tourism during the past years as well. Although the world was drowned in a lot
of crises, this year is set to be one of the best ones so far. The tourism
industry, along with the real estate one, has probably been some of the most
successful ones in Emirati, and things will only get better, according to
specialists.
In this article, we will be addressing the five main reasons for why tourism will see a massive boom in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai in 2023.
Tourism to see an explosion this year in Dubai and Abu
Dhabi
It’s also important that we mention the fact that the UAE is diversifying its economy by leveraging the location as a global air axis. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are continually getting ready for a growing number of visitors that will be able to dwarf the one today.
Back in 2021, during the
Dubai Airshow, which tool place in November of that year, Abu-Dhabi-based
Etihad Airways placed orders for 86 Boeing 777/787s. We also have to mention
the fact that the Dubai-based Emirates ordered $99 billion worth of
equipment—including 150 Boeing 777s and 50 Airbus A380s—the largest single
aircraft purchase in civil aviation history.
Then in April of 2022 another essential issue is the
fact that the Dubai International Airport passed London’s Heathrow as the
world’s busiest gateway for international travelers.
On the other hand, we must highlight the fact that Dubai and Abu Dhabi are just warming up in terms of tourism and hospitality development, according to the latest reports.
The new expectations and predictions for 2023 are saying that the two cities in the United Arab Emirates, located 75 minutes apart by car, anchor a region “poised to take off” according to the new Amadeus study: Shaping the Future of Travel in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Just in case you don’t know, the member nations of the
GCC include the following: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the
UAE.
This paper that we mentioned above notes all kinds of
exciting predictions for the tourism industry, which are set for over the next
15 years throughout the entire region, but there’s a disproportionately large
focus on the UAE.
According to these notes, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are
leading the GCC’s growth. We are not only referring to the infrastructure
expansion and passenger traffic, but we are also talking about more
globally-attuned socio-political shifts in the public and private sectors.
“Faced with increasing complexity, companies are at
the precipice of change,” says Aroop Zutshi. This is the president/managing
partner of the market research firm Frost & Sullivan, who produced the
report.
He continued and said the following: “A region poised
for social change combined with a need to grow globally is increasing pressures
on companies based in the Middle East to innovate in new exciting ways.”
It’s also worth noting the fact that for Western
travelers, the UAE is saddled with a variety of stereotypes, both real and
imagined. Skift website made a great move last year, and they contacted Nicholas
Clayton, COO of the government-owned Jumeirah Group, to learn how UAE hotels
promote to the North American market.
Here’s what he had to say on the matter:
“I can’t think of anywhere else to go to learn in a
more friendly and inviting way about this part of the world, and the people who
live here, and the history and cultural heritage, than Dubai,” says Clayton.
He continued and pointed out the following: “Here, I
have quality lift into the destination, I have quality logistics on the ground,
I have quality hotels and all types of leisure activities, dining opportunities
and special events. And meanwhile, I get to understand the Arab culture more. I
appreciate that they are people of the world just like everybody else, and that
some of the differences that we have between some of the cultures are not that
big of differences at all.”
He also made sure to make an interesting comparison
between Dubai and Singapore.
It’s worth highlighting the fact that this is an
international gateway city with English widely spoken everywhere that offers
people easy access to a complex region. It also has a high degree of safety,
stability, and infrastructure by Western standards.
“Dubai is very much an international city; I mean, I
remember 20 years ago first hearing about Dubai and I had no idea what that
meant,” says Clayton.
He continued and revealed the following ideas: “But
today when you talk about world cities, you talk about Tokyo, Hong Kong,
London, Paris—and Dubai is on that list now. It’s actually on the same list.
Think about that. In 20 years, Dubai has evolved from a complete unknown into a
world city. And one of the reasons for that is because in this part of the
world, Dubai is a place of tolerance, a celebration of diversity, and it is
very much a high-quality destination to live and work.”
The same website that we mentioned above also noted
the fact that the GCC Future of Travel study is organized around five “Big
Effects.” All of these effects are seen as contributing significantly to the
UAE’s future growth, as it is highlighted in the development strategy
initiatives: Dubai Tourism Vision for 2020 and Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.
Here’s a breakdown of each of them in the order they’re presented. Anyway,
below, you can see which are these five factors that will contribute to the
explosion of tourism this year and in the years to come as well.
Population
Effect
the population effect ifs the very first element that
we are addressing as being an important reason for which tourism is set to
thrive this year.
It’s essential to mention that the steady rise in the
expatriate population that is moving to the UAE, the importance of family and
also religious travel, and a robust natural population growth are all adding up
more and more bricks to a contract of inter-regional travel within the GCC.
The report that we mentioned at the beginning of our
article notes the fact that “Pivotal among these trends are a near 30% increase
in population, a huge swath of under-15 population, and a desire for large
families.”
It’s also worth bringing up that The total amount of
spending by GCC member visitors within the region is expected to jump almost
fourfold in the next 15 years, from $55 billion today to $216 million in 2030.
More than that, the same note reveals that the UAE
still has to fully grow independent and middle-income, and coming-of-age
segments both within the GCC and internationally as well.
It’s also worth noting that Dubai is one of the
highest in-demand locations, and this is due to the city’s close proximity,
breaches, modernity, and massive opportunities for entertainment.
Another
effect – Beyond Oil
Another interesting issue that is worth discussing
about is the Dutch Disease – this refers to countries that are over-reliant on
the exportation of natural resources and, at the same time, under-developing
the manufacturing and service sectors.
The UAE sees massive diversification into aviation,
tourism, finances, trade, and more industries, and this is a direct response to
the era of Peak Oil – this is the point where people run out of cheap
hydrocarbon resource supply.
Through 2030, the UAE is scheduled to see some pretty
massive investments that will be of more than $300 billion in new tourism
infrastructure.
It’s also important to note the fact that a 10% of the
municipality fee has been waived for new hotels opening.
“All of these diversification efforts are yielding
results,” reads the Amadeus research.
The same notes also revealed the following: “According
to the IMD World Competitive Centre Index, the UAE was ranked as the 26th most
diversified economy in the world in 2012, ahead of many developed countries.”
More than a decade passed since then and things have been going amazingly.
It’s also worth noting the fact that the future
tourism growth markets are seeing a massive expansion that involves cruise and
medical travel.
According to official reports, the rapid port
construction throughout the GCC is expected to attract more and more people.
It’s also important that we highlight the fact that
one of the most wide-open spaces in the UAE ripe for exploitation is the global
meetings and convention industry. Not too long ago, the annual Gulf Incentives,
Business Travel & Meetings (GIBTM) trade show took place and it was
followed by the release of the event’s first-ever Middle East Buyers Report.
“The number of meetings in the Middle East has grown
quicker than in other regions, it has more than tripled over the last decade,”
said GIBTM Exhibition Manager Lois Hall.
Martin Sirk, CEO of the International Congress &
Convention Association (ICCA), explains, “The Middle East joined the
information revolution more recently than most regions, so it is not surprising
to see some of the world’s fastest growth rates here, now that excellent
meetings infrastructure has been developed, and governments have created
knowledge strategies to underpin their economic development agendas.”
Dubai 2023 – the best reason to relocate
to the UAE
Not too long ago, we revealed that one of the best
reasons for which investors are eyeing Dubai for relocation or for making
important investments in 2023 is the fact that the UAE is working hard towards
achieving a greener future for the planet and more sustainability. These are
some of the most important goals that developed nations are focusing on these
days, and as you probably know by now, the UAE is no exception.
Enabling more sustainable growth is an essential
matter that Dubai and other cities in the UAE are targeting, according to the
latest news, and for some, these represent crucial reasons for which they
decide to move to the UAE.
As we already reported, the UAE is shining at the
beginning of 2023, just as it did during the whole of 2022, and Dubai is genuinely a world hub for the latest technologies and
tourism. The city highlights the nation’s efforts to become a location of
the future where investors are more than welcome. The nation has been making
massive efforts in this direction, and the vast influx of investors who are
coming here from all over the world is enough to highlight the success of such
moves. Working with a great company will ensure your success if you move to the UAE.