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Dubai International Airport sets another new record
Dubai International Airport accommodated a record 5.8 million passengers in March, new figures have confirmed.The international aviation hub continues to grow at an incredible rate, with traffic rising by an impressive 20.6 per cent during the month when compared to the corresponding period in 2012.This was the biggest percentage increase since August 2012 and was also the fourth consecutive month where the five million passengers threshold was surpassed.Dubai has quickly become one of the most popular holiday destinations on the planet and it attracts more than its fair share of businesspeople too.The strong performance in March meant that year-to-date traffic soared to 16.48 million – up by 15.6 per cent on the first quarter of 2012.Western Europe proved to be an important market for the UAE city in March, with an extra 227,830 people taking advantage of new routes put on by Emirates and flydubai. Visitor numbers from eastern Europe also increased considerably, as Emirates launched new services to Poland and flydubai introduced a regular flight to Macedonia. The airport recorded a total of 31,713 aircraft movements in March – which was up by 8.3 per cent on the same month in 2012 – and highlights why Dubai International has quickly become the second-busiest aviation facility on the planet.Chief executive officer of Dubai Airports Paul Griffiths said the first quarter was “very successful”.”I am particularly pleased that we are now not only the world's second busiest international hub but also one of the most efficient with 208 passengers per aircraft movement thanks to our growing number of A380 operations which led the world in 2012 with 7,259 A380 flights to 28 destinations,” he remarked.The airport has already been extended this year and is currently capable of handling 75 million people a year, which is crucial as experts predict that up to 66 million visitors will land in this part of the Gulf by the end of 2013. Continue reading
Dubai’s plans for Expo 2020 revealed
Details of Dubai's campaign to host Expo 2020 have been made public for the first time, with the organisers planning an exciting programme of entertainment that explores the heritage of the United Arab Emirates.The official bid document submitted to the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) in December 2012 has now been seen by the National, which said the event is set to feature a “dazzling pageant” that will trace the region's history from ancient Bedouin civilisations to the present day.Dubai is one of five cities hoping to host the event, with the winner due to be announced by the BIE in November. The other candidates are Ayutthaya in Thailand, Brazil's Sao Paulo, Yekaterinburg in Russia and the Turkish city of Izmir. If the emirate is successful, Expo 2020 will be the first world fair to take place in the Middle East. Dubai is believed to be one of the frontrunners, having devoted considerable resources to its campaign.According to the newspaper, Dubai's bid document includes a pledge to deliver a stunning range of live entertainment that will include music concerts, firework displays, puppetry and theatrical performances.A sample schedule for a single day includes a total of 63 different events, running from 10:30 to 23:30. As the expo is due to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the UAE, many of the entries in the programme will celebrate this milestone.”Dubai knows how to put on a party and that is going to be the biggest party ever,” commented Peter Vine, who has coordinated the UAE pavilions at previous expos.”So in terms of celebrations and entertainment and fun and enjoyment it's all going to be happening, and the expo will add to it in a huge way.” Earlier this month, former US president Bill Clinton endorsed the expo bid during a visit to Dubai. He said the emirate has a good chance of winning because “Dubai's model of shared prosperity is more important today than ever and an inspiration to many countries in the Middle East”. Continue reading
‘Summer is Dubai’ tourism campaign to launch
A new campaign to promote Dubai as the ultimate summer holiday destination for families is due to go live on June 7th.Running until early September, the 'Summer is Dubai' campaign will aim to attract millions of visitors to the emirate by highlighting its many hotels, leisure facilities, transport networks, activities and family-friendly attractions.A number of special offers and promotions will be available to holidaymakers during the three-month period, including discounted accommodation for families and free admission for children at various attractions around the city.Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, explained that the campaign will form part of Dubai's drive to double annual visitor numbers to 20 million by 2020.”We have seen visitor numbers rise in recent summers and are confident of a record-breaking season ahead of us with more events, attractions and value for money than ever before,” he added.The tourism boss went on to say that Dubai's “world-class infrastructure, facilities and services” and “unique attractions” make it ideal for visiting families from the United Arab Emirates and around the world.Key events taking place in the emirate over the summer include Dubai Rock Fest on June 7th and Dubai Summer Surprises, which is due to return for its 16th edition from June 14th to July 14th.This festival celebrates Dubai's world renowned shopping facilities, with more than 6,000 stores expected to participate and plenty of promotions available for bargain-hunters. Many of the shopping malls also host live shows and special entertainment programmes for children during the five-week event.People visiting the UAE this summer will also have the opportunity to see how Dubai's residents celebrate the religious festivals of Ramadan and Eid. Continue reading
