New visa rules to attract more tourists to Dubai

Just Dubai

Owing to the new visa rules which might be rolled out rather soon, the hospitality industry in the United Arab Emirates is expected to boom as several transit passengers might well extend the stay in the country late this year.

Several hotels are also busy in dishing out special packages to attract a huge chunk of the 50 million transit passengers who use the Dubai airports on a yearly basis.

If the latest data is anything to go by, more than 90 per cent of these transit passengers do not make their way into the city due to the lack of an entry permit or visa.

Hence, the recent decision made by the UAE government may rectify this trend which might also attract more business for the hotels, leisure centres and entertainment venues.

Many leading hospitality entities are also mulling to accommodate the transit visa fees, and also offer special packages for all types of Dubai city tours. They are also willing to offer discounts on entertainment and tour offerings.

Chief executive officer of Emaar Hospitality Group, Olivier Harnisch said that he is expecting a larger number of tourists opting for stopovers in Dubai.

"The new transit visa policy combined with the fact that Dubai has a strong portfolio of hospitality and entertainment offerings will mean that a lot more travellers will choose to visit the city," he said.

If the experts are to be believed, this new visa policy will help in adding a boost to the number of visitors spending their time in the country.

"The latest move by the UAE Cabinet to exempt transit passengers from all entry fees, for the first 48 hours, comes as a boon for the travel and tourism industry," said Mamoun Hmedan who is the managing director for the Middle East and India at Wego.