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Cruise Arabia sails off to Europe to woo tourists [Khaleej Times (United Arab Emirates)](Khaleej Times (United Arab Emirates) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Tourism opportunities highlighted at Seatrade Med Convention Dubai: Cruise Arabia, the collaborative initiative formed by Oman's Ministry of Tourism, the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority and Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, or DTCM, to promote the Arabian Gulf as a cruise destination, participated in the recent Seatrade Med Convention in Barcelona, Spain. Aimed at raising awareness of the Arabian Gulf's unique destination offering among major players from the international cruise industry, the Cruise Arabia partners showcased cruise tourism opportunities in the Arabian Gulf and the diversity of the region's destination offering — including its city skylines, desert landscapes and beaches; the world's most sophisticated malls and traditional souks; natural wilderness and adventure experiences; and its art, culture and heritage. They also shared details of the region's world-leading hotels and burgeoning gastronomy scenes to encourage tourists to extend their stays prior to or to do post-cruise travel. With over 4,000 attendees and 300 exhibitors, the Seatrade Med Convention is one of the most important trade events in the world for the cruise tourism industry and provides an ideal platform for engaging with travel trade professionals from European markets. Co-participants attending this event alongside Cruise Arabia include local Dubai-based DMC's Gulf Ventures and Orient Tours, shipping and freight service providers Rais Hassan Saadi Group, marine terminal handler DP World and Abu Dhabi Ports Company. Hamad Mohammed bin Mejren, executive director of business tourism at the DTCM, said: "Seatrade Med Convention 2014 provided an ideal opportunity to engage with the European cruise industry and travel trade professionals — one of the most important segments for building our regional cruise tourism sector. It is a chance to enlighten this critical audience about the extraordinary experiences of cruise travel in our region and to increase the number of passengers considering and ultimately booking cruises in the Arabian Gulf." "We expect the upcoming cruise season to surpass last year's especially with the new multi-entry UAE visit visa for cruise tourists that was announced last August at just Dh200. The number of vessels using the Dubai Cruise Terminal as their home port has increased to six this season, these vessels are also expected to make a total of 83 trips in comparison to the 63 trips that were conducted in the previous 2013-14 season." "We are expecting a total of 110 ship calls carrying around 381,500 passengers in comparison to 93 ship calls carrying 320,000 passengers last year." Khalid Al Zadjali, director of tourism events at the Oman Ministry of Tourism, said: "It gives us immense pleasure to have joined hands, once again, with the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority to promote Cruise Arabia. We are convinced that this partnership will create strong synergy in promoting cruise tourism in the UAE and Oman, enabling tourists to explore the rich and ancient culture of the region, blended with modernity at all levels." "Oman is undergoing a rapid tourism growth with cruise shipping being a major contributing component. To further boost cruise tourism in the region, the Oman Ministry of Tourism, along with the DTCM and TCA, participated in the Seatrade Med 2014 event with the aim to promote Cruise Arabia to the international travel vendors and cruise services providers." Sultan Al Dhaheri, acting executive director Tourism at the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, said: "We have used this leading industry forum to launch an intensified Cruise Abu Dhabi promotional campaign, and with our partners at Abu Dhabi Ports Company, reveal the concept design for the planned, permanent Zayed Port Cruise terminal." "We are also reinforcing our position as a thriving cruise destination to the world's leading cruises lines with the intent to develop joint marketing and promotional campaigns to support their commercial activities. Additionally, we are spreading word of the impending addition of a dedicated cruise tourism section to our www.visitabudhabi.ae online destination resource." Formed in September 2013 with a shared aim to grow and evolve the cruise tourism segment, the Cruise Arabia partners have committed to making a significant investment to the cruise industry across the region, developing its segment infrastructure and creating current and future employment opportunities. A key aim of the partnership is to encourage a new generation of tourists to cruise in the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, spanning new travellers from traditional markets in Europe and North America as well as those from emerging markets including China, India and the GCC. (c) 2014 Khaleej Times. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |