Press Trust of India / Dubai Feb 01, 2010, 13:08 IST
The number of tourists to Dubai fell in the first nine months of last year as the global economic slowdown resulted in fewer travellers from Europe, the country's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has said.
Visitor numbers fell 5.7 per cent in the third quarter compared with the same period in 2008, figures from the DTCM, published by the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) said.
Tourism is an important part of Dubai's economy, directly contributing 19 per cent to its GDP in 2008.
The emirate, which attracted 7.5 million hotel guests in that year, was aiming to double the number by 2015. However, despite the significant falls in performance, Dubai continues to achieve some of the highest average room rates and REVPAR [revenue per available room] in the region even as new supply continues to flood the market.
The data showed a 1.3 per cent fall in international hotel guests in the emirate for the first three quarters of last year compared with the same period in 2008, boosted by 3 per cent growth in international guests in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, international guest numbers fell 1.5 per cent. International tourist arrivals are estimated to have declined by 4 per cent last year to 880 million due to the global economic downturn and fears over swine flu, according to UNWTO.
Abu Dhabi has seen a similar trend in terms of a drop in demand from Europe and an increase in UAE-based guests.
Other figures from the DTCM show that the drop-off in international tourism was offset by an increase in the number of UAE-based guests staying in Dubai's hotels.
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