3m more visitors expected in UAE thanks to Expo

The Middle East and Africa remains the overall top source market for the UAE.

An additional three million international visitors are expected to visit the UAE during Expo 2020 Dubai, with arrivals from India, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and Pakistan driving this influx, according to the latest data released ahead of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2020.
The research from Colliers International, in partnership with the ATM, predicts that the number of Indian visitors travelling to the UAE will increase by 770,000 between 2020-21, while arrivals from Saudi Arabia will rise by 240,000, the Philippines and UK both by 150,000 and Pakistan by 140,000.
Looking to acquire their share of these high-growth markets at ATM 2020 will be the tourism boards from the UAE's seven emirates with major exhibits, as well as a variety of other UAE exhibitors, including Emirates, Emaar Hospitality Group and Abu Dhabi Airports.
Danielle Curtis, exhibition director at the ATM, said: "Not only will Expo 2020 increase international arrivals to the UAE and showcase the country as a major global tourism hub, it will also provide the country with the opportunity to expand its world-class hospitality offerings; upgrade its airports and transport infrastructure, and develop an expansive array of new retail, leisure and entertainment facilities, as well as diversifying its key source markets by reaching out to new and emerging markets."
At present, the Middle East and Africa remains the overall top source market for the UAE. However, there appears to be a changing dynamic, with the Asia-Pacific market set to become the largest source of arrivals in the UAE, witnessing a compound annual growth rate of 9.8 per cent until 2024, driven mainly by the populous Indian Subcontinent.
"The introduction of a new multi-entry five-year tourist visa will not only drive more frequent travel to the country and longer stays, but it will also allow for a host of new airline routes, making the country more accessible to first-time tourists from emerging markets, thus providing a boost to the overall tourist spend and further stimulating the UAE's GDP impact," Curtis added.
In the next 12 months, the outlook for the hospitality sector in the UAE is positive, with demand in the market strong, backed by an increasing number of arrivals from key and emerging markets as a result of Expo 2020, which is now a few months away, and the imminent introduction of a new tourist visa.
The annual Arabian Travel Market will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from April 19-22. - Wam