May 05
Dubai: The Dubai tourism industry continues to defy global economic downturn as international hotel operators continue to look at the emirate and the Gulf region to expand their portfolios.
International tourists still regard Dubai as one of the top destinations around the world.
While the emirate is combating market downturn, which has hit the tourism sector hard, Saleh Mohammad Al Geziry, the director of overseas promotions at Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), said that the challenges are making Dubai stronger and it is “being looked at with greater interest than before.”
Starting on Wednesday, Arabian Travel Market, the region’s exhibit destination for all things tourism, will provide a perspective and foothold for the industry to dig deeper for regional opportunities.
Though the show has seen some decline in exhibitor numbers, a number of new entries into the market will contribute in lifting the sector’s growth.
DTCM revealed that the city had seen 7.5 million visitors last year, over 6.9 million from the year before, at a time when international arrivals began to decline.
Tourism revenues in 2008 hit the Dh15.26 billion mark, up 15 per cent from the previous year.
May 02
Dubai: While the world panics over the quick spread of swine flu, the UAE on Tuesday reassured the public that the country and the region is free of the disease.
Humaid Mohammad Al Qutami, the UAE Minister of Health, said a national emergency response committee meeting was held on Monday night to chalk out steps to prevent the flu virus from entering here.
The committee was established three years ago to respond to the Bird Flu threat, under the chairmanship of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister. “We have an action plan in place,” said a senior official.
The Health Ministry said the UAE will increase surveillance at its entry points and make the public aware of the flu epidemic. So far there are no flight cancellations from certain countries or restrictions on imports of pork products.
Dec 30
Dubai: Starting next year, the public will be able to apply for all kinds of visas online, a senior official from the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) said.
Until now, the facility was restricted to registered companies.
Lieutenant Colonel Nasir Khalid Al Marzouqi, assistant director for the IT department at DNRD, said applications for online visas will be opened to the public next year.
He said all online visa applications must be accompanied by photos of the applicants.
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