Dubai Airports has raised its annual forecast for the emirate's main hub to 93 million passengers in 2024, up from an earlier forecast of 91.8 million, despite heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Dubai International Airport (DXB) is set to exceed its August forecast, in which it was expected to handle 91.8 million passengers this year and 93.8 million in 2025, operator Dubai Airports said.
"We are ahead of schedule," Dubai Airports chief executive Paul Griffiths told reporters on the sidelines of the FHS World event on Monday. "What we're hoping is to see 93 million, that's the projection. We had a very strong first half this year.
We're hoping to get to 93 million by the end of the year and 100 million a couple of years away. Every time we revise our forecast, it's always in the upward direction, so that's a very positive trajectory."
He attributed the improved forecast to the "attractiveness of Dubai" as a destination that continues to drive more traffic through the airport.
DXB has recorded a rise in point-to-point traffic since the Covid-19 pandemic. Passengers whose final destination is Dubai make up 60 per cent of DXB's total traffic today, compared to 40 per cent before the pandemic, so the "enhanced numbers of people actually coming to Dubai is the reason for these exceptional projections", Mr Griffiths said.
The annual passenger forecast raise comes after DXB in the first six months of this year handled a record 44.9 million people, up 8 per cent on the same period of 2023.
The emirate hosted 9.3 million overnight international visitors from January to June this year, up by about 9 per cent annually, helped by the emirate's push to strengthen and expand its tourism sector, according to July data from the Department of Economy and Tourism.
Dubai is a major trade, tourism and business centre in the Middle East, attracting a record 17.1 million international overnight visitors in 2023, the department. The emirate has attracted foreign expats to the city with more flexible visa schemes, infrastructure spending and economic diversification strategy.
The UAE Central Bank now expects the Gulf country's economy to expand by 4 per cent this year, an increase from its estimate in June of 3.9 per cent, on the back of a boost from its non-oil sector from property to tourism.
Dubai currently has more than 151,000 hotel rooms and "there's still demand for more", Issam Kazim, chief executive of the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, told the FHS World event in Dubai on Monday.
"In terms of the number of hotels, there's a lot of potential for us to grow, but it's also making sure that we're going to the right locations, because now we have different destinations within the city of Dubai, and also cater to different budgets," he said.
"Dubai doesn't just get into the luxury segment as it was perceived in the past. Today we know that there are amazing three-star hotels as well that can compete with many five-stars [hotels] around the world."
Airport of the future
To accommodate the growing number of visitors in the future, Dubai is planning to open a new passenger terminal at its second airport Al Maktoum International.
Asked about the status of the contracts and construction, Mr Griffiths said the project is still in the design review stage.
"There's a lot of work going on at the moment to optimise the design because we obviously we want to build not just the biggest but the best airport in the world and that needs a lot of thought, lots of system integration, a lot of technology under process, so there's a huge amount of work ahead."
Naga
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If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 290hp
Torque: 340Nm
Price: Dh155,800
On sale: now
GROUP RESULTS
Group A
Results
Ireland beat UAE by 226 runs
West Indies beat Netherlands by 54 runs
Group B
Results
Zimbabwe tied with Scotland
Nepal beat Hong Kong by five wickets
Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
Scoreline
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan
Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’
57%20Seconds
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
Company%20profile
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SPECS
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Sweet%20Tooth
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ABU%20DHABI'S%20KEY%20TOURISM%20GOALS%3A%20BY%20THE%20NUMBERS
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The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
IPL 2018 FINAL
Sunrisers Hyderabad 178-6 (20 ovs)
Chennai Super Kings 181-2 (18.3 ovs)
Chennai win by eight wickets
Final round
25 under - Antoine Rozner (FRA)
23 - Francesco Laporta (ITA), Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA), Andy Sullivan (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG)
21 - Grant Forrest (SCO)
20 - Ross Fisher (ENG)
19 - Steven Brown (ENG), Joakim Lagergren (SWE), Niklas Lemke (SWE), Marc Warren (SCO), Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Results:
5pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600 metres
Winner: Dasan Da, Saeed Al Mazrooei (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF Saabah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Mukaram, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 2,200m
Winner: MH Tawag, Richard Mullen, Elise Jeanne
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) | Dh70,000 | 1,400m
Winner: RB Inferno, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh100,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Juthoor, Jim Crowley, Erwan Charpy
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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