São Paulo – The tourism industry of the United Arab Emirates should grow by 6.5% a year up until 2021, according to forecasts of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). The figure was announced last week in a survey published by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. One of the regions that may contribute to the increase is Latin America.
The survey shows that last year 74.7% of tourist expenditures in the Emirates were leisure-related and 25.3% were business-related. It points out that the employment rate in the industry will grow at an annual rate of 4.1% until 2021.
“Visitors from the traditional markets of the Middle East, Europe and the Asia-Pacific are expected to show strong growth in 2012. However, it is also significant that arrivals from new markets, such as Latin America and Africa, which at present contribute a small portion to the overall number of tourist arrivals, are also expected to experience robust growth,” the survey claims.
In 2012, arrivals are expected to increase by 9.44% for Latin American tourists, 8.09% for African tourists, 10.02% for Asia-Pacific tourists, 7.83% for European tourists, and 7.13% for Middle Eastern tourists. In 2010, the United Arab Emirates receive 9 million tourists. “Also, growth of tourist arrivals from emerging economies such as Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Africa is also important from the perspective of consumer expenditure, as the walth of residents in these regions is expected to experience significant growth over time,” according to the survey.
The report includes other industry figures. In 2010, overnight stays in Emirati hotels reached 27,497. In 2011, the estimated amount (the figures have not been consolidated yet) was 30,167, and the expectation for 2012 is 32,317.
According to the survey, main challenges facing the Emirati tourism industry include competition with other destinations; the need to offer a host of activities to appeal to tourists of different ages and cultural backgrounds; collaboration within the industry, and development of a long-term strategy for tourism in the country.
“Another important challenge is the short length of stay by foreign visitors. Encouraging these visitors to stay longer, thereby spending more money in the United Arab Emirates is important for the further development of the tourism sector,” claims the survey.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
