For the 13th successive year, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Government of Dubai participated in the Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) in Melbourne Australia from the February 15th - 16th, 2011.
The DTCM delegation this year, led by Saleh Mohammed Al Geziry, DTCM Director Overseas Promotions and Inward Missions, comprised of 14 representatives from the tourism sector. The Department's exhibition stand at the event covered an area of 180 square meters.
"Australia & New Zealand is a very important market for Dubai, the number of guests in Hotel establishments from Australia in 2010 rose to 158,907, a 5.9 per cent increase over 2009 and in New Zealand this figure rose to 31,904 representing a 15.2 per cent increase said Saleh Mohammed Al Geziry.
"Our presence at AIME 2011 also marks the launch of DTCM's new Australia & New Zealand Representative Office, based in Sydney, headed up by Julie King as the Director of this office. Julie has extensive experience of over 24 years in the Hospitality & Tourism Industry and having lived and worked in Dubai for the past 14 years, she will contribute greatly to the strengthening of Dubai's position in the Australia and New Zealand market."
Veronica Rainbird has also been appointed as Manager, Trade, Training and Promotions and brings a wealth of experience from Hotels, Convention Bureaus and Tourism Boards to her role whilst also having excellent relationships in the Australian Travel Industry, and Sue Ann Miller has also re-joined the team as Information Officer, having worked with DTCM for the past 8 years.
Geziry said, "Airlines are also adding more capacity to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha providing more frequencies and choice to the Consumer and providing more flexibility for the Meetings and Incentive Segment. Emirates Airline now operates 63 weekly flights between Australia and Dubai, including thrice daily services from Melbourne and double daily flights from Brisbane, Perth and Sydney. Emirates also operates 28 flights per week between New Zealand and Dubai. Effective 24 February 2011, Etihad Airways will operate a total of 24 return flights per week between Australia and Abu Dhabi. (including a double-daily service between Sydney and Abu Dhabi in conjunction with Virgin Blue's international arm V Australia); daily flights between Melbourne and Abu Dhabi; and three services per week between Brisbane and Abu Dhabi. Qatar Airways now operates daily flights weekly from Melbourne to Doha."
"Since launching flights from Australia 15 years ago, Emirates has steadily grown its services between Australia and Dubai from three flights per week from Melbourne to 63 weekly flights from Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Onwards from Dubai, Emirates now flies to more than 100 cities in over 60 countries, including 13 destinations in the Middle East," said Barry Brown, Emirates Vice President Australasia.
"Dubai, apart from being a unique stopover destination has become a must see for Australian and New Zealand travellers as well as a holiday destination in its own right. Emirates looks forward to continuing this in the future with the addition of seven more flights from Sydney next October bringing the total to 70 flights per week ," added Brown.
The rapid growth of Emirates Airline and flydubai helped to push Dubai International Airport's passenger traffic up to a record last year, with 47.2 million travellers passing through the hub in 2010. The figure, a 15.3 per cent jump from 2009, also underscores the popularity of foreign airlines that serve the Dubai and Sharjah metropolitan area under the UAE's liberal open skies policy.
Dubai Airports lists 133 airlines that fly into Dubai International contributing to the airport's status as the fifth-largest international air hub.
Paul Griffiths, the chief executive of Dubai Airports, said last year was notable for its milestones. "We surpassed our growth projections, ushered in Dubai's status as a twin-airport city with the opening of Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International in June and celebrated Dubai International's 50th anniversary," he said. "The growth story continues in 2011 with passenger numbers expected to surge another 11 per cent to 52.2 million.
New Tourism Developments & Achievements
This year Dubai is adding more accommodation capacity to its tourism offering with 1137 more hotel and hotel apartment rooms opened in January 2011 and a further 11,530 rooms planned to open this year. This increases Dubai's total accommodation inventory to 82,485 hotels rooms and serviced apartments, up from last year's 70,995 and 573 hotels and serviced apartments allowing much more options for the MICE segment.
The Dubai Convention Bureau (DCB), a division of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, secured a total of 11 congresses in 2010 which will all take place in Dubai from 2011-2013. These are expected to deliver over 20,000 delegates to the emirate and anticipated to generate AED162.88 million (approximately AUD 45 million) in economic impact to Dubai.
The conferences cover a wide range of topics, from IT, Medical, Environment and Sport. These conventions will continue to position Dubai as the premier meetings destination that it is.
Other leaps forward have seen a dramatic increase in business leads. DCB worked on 109 business leads in 2010, compared to 85 in 2009. In addition, the Dubai Bid Alliance (DBA) program was utilized in 13 international bid submissions in 2010 for congresses taking place from 2011 and beyond.
As part of The DTCM's commitment to excellence, the DCB are delighted to announce the annual post bid and post event surveys results of 91% & 92% respectively.
