The cruise tourism industry of Abu Dhabi has been predicted to grow by 10.5% annually, luring about 4,50,000 cruise tourists within the year 2020. Also, it targets to attract more than 8,08,000 cruise passengers in 2025.
The figures mark a leap from the 2,50,000 cruise travellers who are expected to arrive in Abu Dhabi in this holiday season that would last at least till June 2017.
A report published by Oxford Economics that was commissioned by Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA) of Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi Ports said that the total expenditure from the cruise sector would reach about Dh417 million within 2020.
The figures mark a 71% rise from Dh244 million that was spent in 2015.
And, this figure is expected to rise to Dh745 million by 2025. The growth in the cruise tourism sector is a sharp contrast to a slump in the hospitality market. This is because hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are facing challenges triggered by lower consumer spending and a consequent lower demand.
But then, the fluctuations in currency has not been able to adverse affect the cruise tourism sector of Abu Dhabi.
The European markets top the list in terms of passenger numbers. Saeed Al Daheri, cruise development and city tour manager at Abu Dhabi’s TCA declared that Europe is responsible for about 39% of passengers who arrive at the ports of Abu Dhabi. Germany tops the list when it comes to Europe.
Daheri said that they have started heading to India and China as these two nation would be their priorities in the following years.
Then he also mentioned that they have started hosting road shows in various places to promote Abu Dhabi and that they have been to three cities in China and also three cities in India. They are planning to participate in similar events for promotional campaigns.
Al Daheri has been interacting with the media at the Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum that commenced on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi.
At this event, he discussed about the growing opportunities for the cruise industry in Abu Dhabi.
Earlier during 2016, the TCA had said that it was making efforts to take advantage of the development including the new cruise terminal at Zayed Port and also leverage the pull of Al Ain’s archaeological sites.
