Dubai sees 300,000 boost in hotel visitors

Dubai's tourism industry is surging ahead with 300,000 more hotel visitors in the first nine months of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.

Foreign tourists walk in front of Atlantis in Dubai. Latest figures show the emirate has seen 300,000 more hotel visitors in the first nine months of 2010 than in the same period last year.
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Dubai's tourism industry surged ahead with hotel visitors growing six per cent in the first nine months of the year, to 5.9 million.

That compares with 5.6m guests during the same period last year, according to the latest figures from the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing's (DTCM).

Dubai is one of the most popular tourism destinations in the Middle East and heavily promoted itself during the global downturn with promotions and package deals from airlines and hotels. Its latest marketing campaign, "Definitely Dubai" includes a website where prospective visitors are briefed on the emirate's activities, including bowling, climbing, cycling and falconry. The emirate's efforts are being carried out in collaboration with major international tourism companies, it said.

As a result of the increase in guests, hotel revenues grew six per cent to Dh9.23bn, compared to Dh8.70bn during the same period last year.

In addition, the agency said occupancy rates for hotel apartments increased by 2 per cent during the first nine months of the year, reaching 66 per cent compared to 64 per cent for the same period last year.

The January to September statistics growth were slightly lower than figures released by the tourism agency for the first six months of the year.