SHARJAH, 23 August 2007 — The Middle East is fast becoming as one of the world’s most sought after tourist destinations and Faisal bin Khaled Sultan Al-Qasimi, chairman of Orient Tours, has plans to play an increasingly important part of this growth.
Al-Qasimi said that the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) earmarked the region as a growth leader.
Recent sources pegged this at 15 million in-bound tourists in 2015 to Dubai alone. In the past 25 years, Dubai has received approximately 25 million visitors.
“The region is poised for another 25 years of tourism growth and we are geared to product innovation, delivering eco-responsible tourism that pushes the boundaries of Arabian hospitality, and thus exceeding customer expectations.”
“New markets, particularly Asian and Far-Eastern travelers, are looking for a taste of Arabia, and mature markets, such as the UK and Germany, are eager to experience our new-era leisure infrastructure that is fast becoming reality,” Al-Qasimi said.
Inbound tour operator Orient Tours, which is completing a quarter of century by September this year, has managed more than one million in-bound tourists to date, and is now gearing for the next wave of demand.
Recently, Dubai was quoted as having 40+, five-star properties and more than 22,000 additional rooms are scheduled for opening in 2008. Abu Dhabi promises 42,000 rooms in 2010, up from just 9,000 today.
