Gulf cruises ‘no attraction for Arab tourists’

Saudis have not shown an affinity to having their holidays on cruise ships, according to government tourism operators from Oman, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The representatives are from Oman’s Ministry of Tourism, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA-Abu Dhabi) and Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).
They were speaking during the annual Gulf Cooperation Council roadshow on Cruise Arabia that took place here on Monday night. Cruise Arabia is a collaborative initiative by these authorities to promote the Arabian Gulf as a cruise destination.
Hamad Mohammed bin Mejren, the executive director of business tourism at DTCM, said: “In Dubai, our forecast for this year is already up. We will welcome a total of 110 ships carrying around 381,500 passengers this year in comparison to 93 ships carrying 320,000 passengers last year, but only 5 percent of them are Arabs, including Saudis.”
“Unfortunately, a significant number of GCC travelers are not fully aware of the many attractions of cruise holidays, which include perks such as free travel and accommodation for children, stunning on-board amenities and entertainment, and outstanding itineraries that range from just a few days to several weeks,” he said.
“However, we hope to compensate. The new multi-entry United Arab Emirates visit visa for cruise tourists that was announced earlier this year at just 200 dirhams (SR204) might help by making it easier than ever for expatriate families living in the region, as well as overseas visitors, to cruise in the Arabian Gulf,” he said.
Sultan Al-Dhaheri, acting executive director at the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, said: “We are taking the cruise industry’s expanding Arabian Gulf cruise itineraries to the GCC market to raise awareness and demand for this exciting product. Cruise ships these days offer a level of luxury and family entertainment that will suit the regional consumer, whether national or expatriate. Our rationale is simple, the more demand we create, the more our cruise partners will expand their offering. Everyone wins.”
Khalid Al-Zadjali, director of tourism events in Oman, said: “It is a key aim of our partnership to encourage tourists to cruise in the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, not only from the traditional markets in Europe and North America but also from emerging ones in China and India. We will be going to their markets soon to conduct similar roadshows as part of our promotional efforts,” he said.