São Paulo – Dubai International Airport had record passenger throughput. According to a press statement disclosed by Dubai International, the company that manages the airport, 5.5 million passengers visited the terminals in the first month of the year, 14.6% more than the 4.8 million who were there in the same period in 2012. The growth was caused by the holiday period and by Dubai Shopping Festival, a period of shopping promotions in the city.
South America is the origin that presented the great growth: 23.7% more than in January 2012. The volume of passengers from the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) grew 21.8%, followed by 21.3% growth in the passenger volume from Australia and Asia and 20.8% growth in those from North America.
"The Middle East was the only region to record fewer visitors (-6.5 per cent) with traffic impacted by continuing political instability in Iran and Syria,” according to a press statement disclosed by Dubai International.
In total, arrivals and departures also grew in January. The growth was 5.6% and reached 31,332 movements in the period. The cargo throughput reached 188,520 tonnes, 8.6% more than the 173,531 tonnes of January 2012.
*Translated by Mark Ament