UAE a major tourist destination

Tourists to the UAE arrive from all over the world. The UAE enjoys all the assets essential to become a major tourist destination: warm waters, sandy beaches, first-class shopping, extensive recreational facilities, and world-class hotels.
SKY MAY NOT BE THE LIMIT FOR UAE TOURISM SECTOR: It enjoys a warm winter season attractive to Europeans fleeing the harsh winters to the North. Combine these assets with an improving transportation system, a location within easy reach of Europe and Asia and, importantly, an open and tolerant society that is made up of many cultures and peoples.
Top it all off with a government that is committed to making tourism a growth industry - and a target sector for economic diversification - and it is no wonder that tourism in the UAE is booming.
UAE pulls in tourists from all corners of the world. A large number are from other GCC states, but increasingly the UAE is becoming a target destination for Europeans - especially those from Eastern Europe and Russia, who like to combine sun with shopping - and visitors from the Indian Subcontinent. Several prominent personalities who have purchased vacation homes in the UAE, such as soccer star David Beckham, have helped to raise the UAE's holiday profile.
ABU DHABI Abu Dhabi has become one of the major tourist destination in UAE attracting 1.34 million visitors in 2006, a 12 percent increase over 2005, and is playing "catch up" with Dubai in terms of tourism infrastructure. The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) is aiming for three million visitors by 2015 and is planning to increase hotel capacity by 17,000 rooms to meet the new demand. Abu Dhabi National Hotels Company is currently undertaking two large hotel projects, and other new hotel properties are being developed by Fairmont, Rotana and Four Seasons. Abu Dhabi boasts the Emirates Palace Hotel, a seven-star property that is reported to be the most expensive hotel ever built in the world.
Abu Dhabi's new International Exhibitions Complex is estimated to generate a growing convention business for years to come. In February 2007, the new complex hosted "IDEX 2007," the Middle East's largest defence industry trade show, which attracted hundreds of exhibitors (including over 80 US firms).
The growth of Abu Dhabi's "home town" airline, Etihad, and the expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport, will contribute to the expected increase in tourist travel to the emirate. The Abu Dhabi World Trade Center, a high-rise hotel and office complex, is planned for a site adjacent to the International Exhibitions Complex.
DUBAI Dubai has attracted almost seven million visitors in 2006. Although Dubai boasts over 300 hotels, they are regularly booked: Dubai's 2006 hotel occupancy rate of 82 per cent was surpassed only by London and New York. But tens of thousands of new rooms are on the way - including 6,500 rooms at the Asia Hotel which, according to its developer, Tatweer, will be the world's largest when the first phase opens in 2010.
Several new tourist projects of Dubai are along the emirate's coast, or even off-shore such as The World and The Palm Islands - developed by Nakheel, part of Dubai World. But desert destinations are becoming increasingly available with the development of Dubailand - billed by Tatweer (part of Dubai Holding) as the world's most ambitious tourism, leisure, and entertainment project.
Dubai has also established a reputation as a shopping destination with the commercial and touristic success of the Dubai Shopping Festival (aka Dubai Summer Surprises), now in its tenth year. New hotels are sprouting up near giant "shop till you drop" facilities like Mall of the Emirates, developed by MAF Holding. This huge retail destination - currently the largest mall outside of North America - contains over 450 stores, an indoor ski slope, 70 restaurants and a 14-screen cinema. It has attracted tourists from Europe, Asia and Africa on shopping jaunts.
A $27 billion resort and entertainment complex called Bawadi,is under development by Tatweer. Spread over 13 million square meters located in the midst of the even larger Dubailand entertainment complex, the Bawadi project will include 31 hotels. Bawadi alone will be able to handle three million visitors a year when it is completed in 2016.
Dubai also has become a key attraction for people who are combining work and play. The emirate's convention and trade fair business, already the largest in the Middle East, is expecting dramatic increases in the coming years. Dubai boasts the Dubai International Convention Center, the auditorium of which can accommodate 6,500 people at one time. The Center was the site of the 2003 annual meeting of the World Bank and IMF, among other prestigious meetings and trade shows.
Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has begun construction on the $2.17 billion Dubai Exhibition City near Jebel Ali Port and the future airport at Dubai World Central. It will include the world's largest exhibit space, as well as offices, hotels, restaurants and parking for 20,000 cars. It is expected to be completed in 2009 in time to host the Dubai Air Show.
An important part of Dubai's attraction for tourism is the continuous world-class cultural and sporting events. At almost any time of year, and especially during peak tourism season, one might catch Tiger Woods playing golf, Roger Federer playing tennis, races with the fastest speedboats in the world, automobile racing, and a plethora of spectator sports - soccer, cricket, and rugby, to name just a few. Every form of music and dance is performed, from the New York Metropolitan Opera to the Kirov Ballet. Dubai claims that nowhere outside New York, London, or Paris are such a wide range of international cultural activities available.