Leading the Tourism Rebound

Dubai was among the first destinations to reactivate its tourism sectors and welcome back international visitors. In 2021, it is looking to build on this momentum.

Issam Kazim

CEO DUBAI CORPORATION FOR TOURISM AND COMMERCE MARKETING

If 2020 was a year in which the world faced unprecedented challenges, it was also one in which Dubai showed that it was able to not only effectively face them, but lead the way in the recovery of tourism and related sectors globally.

Driven by the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, an effective citywide mechanism was put in place to combat COVID-19 with the goal of safeguarding the health and well-being of citizens, residents and guests.

To recognise and foster industry-wide compliance, Dubai Tourism rolled out the ‘DUBAI ASSURED’ stamp with Department of Economic Development and Dubai Municipality to certify hotels, retail establishments, F&B outlets and attractions that have implemented all public health protocols. Dubai also received the Safe Travels stamp from the World Travel & Tourism Council, further recognising the successful citywide management of the pandemic and Dubai’s position as one of the world’s safest destinations.

This enabled Dubai to reopen for international tourism on 7th July last year as one of the first cities worldwide, with the world taking notice and the city consistently featuring in the top 5 nearly all the time across all target markets in search volumes across all major booking platforms.

“The strong rebound and growing number of visitors we saw in the second half of 2020 validated our multi-phase strategy to restore growth in the tourism sector and our continuing efforts worldwide to sustain interest in the city as the first choice for global travellers, as well as showcasing Dubai as one of the world’s safest destinations,” says Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing.

“As confidence continues to build within the industry and among travellers, and with vaccinations being rolled out around the world, we expect to see momentum accelerating throughout 2021, with our diversified multigeographic marketing strategy ensuring we are ready to capture and serve target markets and regions as they reopen.”

This momentum will be further fuelled by a host of new developments that are set to enhance the city’s attractiveness and vault it to the top of consideration for travellers from around the world. From Ain Dubai – set to become the world’s tallest observation wheel – to the Museum of The Future, they join an ever-growing suite of offerings across all the major tourism pillars. “ Over the coming months, we look forward to rolling out a number of exciting multi-platform marketing campaigns that will showcase the destination’s diverse range of offerings and ability to cater to all demographics and interests.”

Another highlight on the horizon is Expo 2020 Dubai; postponed to allow all participating nations to focus on dealing with the pandemic, the event will commence in October this year and be one of the first truly global gatherings, with new resonance given to the overall theme of Connecting Minds, Creating The Future.

Domestic tourism, which played a pivotal role in driving the UAE’s tourism economy in 2020, will also continue to be a critical driver in 2021. Events held in Dubai over the winter period such as the latest edition of Dubai Shopping Festival and the upcoming Dubai Food Festival will take the lead in increasing demand for domestic tourism this year, in line with the newly launched UAE domestic tourism strategy.

“The strong continued tourism rebound has only been possible, thanks to the tireless efforts of stakeholders across the city. From retail and hospitality to entertainment, transport and F&B, they all showed resilience through the most challenging periods and a willingness to work collaboratively to accelerate the recovery. This will be vital through the rest of 2021, especially as more potential visitors from around the world can once again travel safely.

“Over the coming months, we look forward to rolling out a number of exciting multi-platform marketing campaigns that will showcase the destination’s diverse range of offerings and ability to cater to all demographics and interests,” says Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing.