Dubai sees visitor numbers rise

Plenty of people are still taking holidays to Dubai despite the global recession, figures show.

Dubai hotels saw visitor numbers increase in the first half of 2009, indicating that holidays to Dubai remain popular.

Guest numbers at Dubai hotels rose by five per cent from January to June of this year, while the number of passengers to travel through Dubai International Airport was up by the same amount, according to the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).

Growth in the tourism sector has continued, with the number of hotel rooms and holiday apartments available increasing by 17 per cent over the first half of 2008, offering travellers even more choice.

The opening of Dubai’s Atlantis hotel in September last year boosted the number of hotel rooms on offer by over 1,500.

Mr Hamad bin Mejren, an executive director at the DTCM, said: “The rapid transformation of the tourism industry is leading to big demand for travel from different parts of the world.”

In terms of international passenger traffic volumes, Dubai International Airport is currently rated the sixth busiest in the world.

Written by Erin Marshall