The Government is keen on promoting cultural tourism to generate more tourism revenues.

President William Ruto said the Government will exploit Kenya’s rich cultural heritage to diversify tourist attractions.

He argued that tourism is no longer just about sights and sounds but also about the people.

He noted that the Government will partner with Counties to support cultural preservation initiatives.

He cited the provision of funds for Maa Cultural Festival that will be celebrated annually.

“Today’s tourist is drawn to authentic cultural experiences; therefore, today’s tourism must meet a higher standard,” he said.

He made the remarks on Tuesday during the Maasai Cultural Festival at Sekenanie Gate, Narok County.

He was accompanied by Cabinet Secretaries Peninah Malonza (Tourism) and Soipan Tuya (Environment), Governors Patrick ole Ntutu (Narok), Joseph Lenku (Kajiado) and Jonathan Lati Leliliit (Samburu) and a host MPs.

He noted that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation has identified induction of boys ahead of initiation, shaving of morans and meat-eating ceremony that marks entry into adulthood as Intangible Cultural Items.

“I extend my gratitude to the Maasai community for their unwavering commitment to the preservation of Maa traditions and culture. Your resilience has given Kenya a global identity and enriched our nation’s cultural mosaic,” he said.

The President said Government will start ceding 50 percent of revenues from national parks to host communities as part of efforts to transform their lives.

He said the move was aimed at benefiting host communities, through projects aimed at uplifting their lives.

“I have directed that all revenues from our national parks and game reserves should be divided equally between the host counties and the national government,” he said.

Source: CapitalFm News

Uganda and Kenya have announced dates for the second edition of the Uganda-Kenya coast tourism conference set for November this year.

Speaking on Tuesday, the state minister for Foreign Affairs, John Mulimba said the conference is yet another opportunity for both countries to seek to maximize the tourism potential between them.

“Uganda possesses some unique tourism products that can be used to make it one of the world’s leading tourist destinations. We possess some of the rarest primates in the world, Namugongo Martyrs shrines, source of River Nile and the rich culture, among others,” Mulimba said.

“Kenya is Uganda’s leading source market and last year alone, over 370,000 Kenyans visited Uganda for various reasons. Also, Uganda is Kenya’s second leading source market after the USA. Just last year over 150,000 Ugandans visited Kenya and out of those 22,000 visited the Kenya Coast.”

He said the conference is yet another opportunity for both countries to increase their tourism potential.

“The increasing number of tourists between Uganda and Kenya Coast has been aided by the improved air connection between Entebbe and Mombasa. Currently, Uganda Airlines operates three weekly direct flights between Entebbe and Mombasa. This is complimented by daily flights by Kenya Airways through Nairobi. Moreover, it is also possible to travel between both countries by road, using national identity cards. Thus, it is possible to leverage on the improved connection to grow the tourism between Uganda and Kenya coast.”

Uganda to tap into Kenyan coast

Kenya’s coastal tourism is booming with thousands of tourists going to the country enjoy various tourism products including the historical Fort Jesus, beaches, resorts, marine national parks, elephant sanctuary, the dolphins, slave caves, sacred forests, Vasco Da Gama Fort, white sands, coral reefs, diving and snorkeling among others.

However, according to Amb.Paul Mukumbya, Uganda’s Consulate General in Mombasa, Uganda seeks to tap into these big numbers.

He insisted that each of these countries needs each other.

“The Kenyan coast is one of the biggest hubs for tourism on the continent mainly because of the biggest beaches. On the other side, in Uganda we have products that are not at the Kenyan coast like the Mountain Gorillas, Chimpanzees, adventure tourism on River Nile, a special product called the Kampala nightlife, cultural tourism and many others that Kenya doesn’t have. By joining synergies, we can tap into each other’s tourism numbers,” Mukumbya said.

“The concept we are working with is creating synergies and working through complementarity at the Kenyan coast and Uganda. We want to see that if someone comes to tour the Kenyan coast, on the same itinerary, they can visit Uganda and look at the beauty we have and the vice versa as those who come to Uganda can visit the Kenyan coast.”

According to Stephen Asiimwe, the Executive Director of Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) by tapping into the tourism numbers to Kenya’s coast, Uganda stands a chance to also grow its tourism numbers.

He added that Uganda is well placed to tap into these numbers.

“The thousands of tourists to the Kenyan coast have money and time. They have done Zanzibar a hundred of times, Serengeti and many other places but they don’t know what is happening this side (Uganda). I can bet you if we can get them here, they can spend the money as they enjoy what Uganda has to offer,” Asiimwe said.

The second Uganda-Kenya coast tourism conference will be held between November 13 and 14 at Neptune Paradise Beach Resort and Spa in Diani, Kwale County in Kenya under the theme, “Consolidating Networks, Synergies, and Diversity to Maximize the tourism potential between Uganda and Kenya Coastal Region”.

The conference will also have tourism excursions, and farm trip.

Source: All Africa

• In the first half of 2023, Kenya’s tourism sector experienced an impressive 31% increase in earnings compared to the same period in the previous year.  
• The industry’s revenue growth was propelled by a 32% increase in tourist visits, with the number rising from 642,861 to 847,810. 
• Leading markets for arrivals included the US, Uganda, Tanzania, the UK, and India, while both domestic tourism and visits for business, conferences, and meetings also contributed to the positive trend.

As a result of the continuous global recovery, the tourism industry in Kenya saw a 31% increase in earnings in the first half of the year through June compared to the same time in 2022.

In the last six months, the tourism industry booked Ksh152.6 billion ($1.06 billion), up from Ksh116.2 billion ($807.79 million) in 2022, according to data from the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB).

The revenues increased as tourist visits increased by 32%, from 642,861 to 847,810 in the same time in 2022. One of COVID-19’s hardest-hit industries was international travel and tourism, which is expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels in 2023.

“The tourism sector in Kenya experienced a remarkable upswing in international arrivals leading to a positive effect on the country’s tourism receipts,” said the KTB in its report. “This performance is a 92 percent recovery when compared to the 2019 performance of 929,814 arrivals same period. Of significance is that June 2023 arrivals closed at 168,051. This is a growth of one percent when compared to 166,692,” the report adds.

Holidays continued to be the primary reason for entry closure throughout the study period, accounting for 338,509 (39.9%) of all entries. Visits for business, conferences, and meetings came in second with 226,908 arrivals, an increase of 26.8%, while visits to family and friends came in third with 213,417 arrivals, an increase of 25.2 percent.

44,620 (5.3%) people used the transit system. Other goals included sports, medical, education, and religion, totaling 24,356, a gain of 2.9%.

According to the data, the US (118,480), Uganda (89,968), Tanzania (69,777), the UK (65,563), and India (42,805) are the top five countries for overseas arrivals.

Some important markets have outperformed 2019 (January–June) performance, including the US (up 7% from 110,743 to 118,480), Italy (up 15.6% from 22,017 to 25,451), Germany (up 4% from 32,142 to 33,418), Rwanda (up 34.5% from 18,845 to 25,422), and Ethiopia (up 66.1%).

The Netherlands increased by 6.9%, from 19,123 to 20,442, Nigeria increased by 7.3%, from 15,307 to 16,424, Ghana increased by 28.1%, from 5,137 to 6,583, and Russia increased by 40.8 %, from 2,514 to 3,539.

Domestic tourism increased throughout the time period under study, with bed nights concluding the year 2023 (January–June) at 2.3 million, up from 2.02 million. This represents a 16 percent gain. The Easter holidays and business travel, respectively, are to blame for the best-performing months of April and June.

Source: Business Insider Africa

Africa’s tourism is having a moment, two years after the sector was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some countries are pushing for an end to intra-Africa visas, while others are revamping memorials, putting up new archeological sites and introducing longer visa tenures to prop up tourism numbers.

By end of the first quarter of 2023, international arrivals across Africa had hit 88 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, with North Africa surpassing 2019 levels by 4 per cent in the same period, according to United Nations World Tourism Organisation data.

Kenya is aggressively campaigning for African integration, headlined by the removal of visa restrictions for citizens from other African countries travelling into the country for business.

Over the next five years, the country has set an ambitious target to boost its tourism numbers to 10 million, about five times its best-ever arrivals number recorded in 2019.

New leadership at the Kenya Tourism Board, a government agency mandated with marketing the destination, confirmed these targets.

“The new board is starting its assignment when the tourism sector is quickly recovering from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic that put tourism on its knees,” KTB chairperson Francis Gichaba said in statement.

“Focus will be on the quick-wins to bolster the arrivals.”

Kenya’s rate of tourism recovery in terms of arrival numbers is already 72.4 per cent of pre-pandemic figures, compared to a global recovery figure of 63 per cent, according to Kenya’s 2022 annual tourism performance report.

Since May, Kenya has announced the removal of visa restrictions for citizens from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti and the Comoros.

In February, the governments of Botswana and Namibia signed an agreement allowing citizens of the two Southern African countries to cross each other’s borders without passports.

Botswana has also initiated a discussion with Zimbabwe to scrap passport requirements between their countries. Other countries that have recently initiated talks to remove visa barriers include the DRC and Uganda.

Memorial Tourism

Memorial tourism is also gaining traction across Africa as governments invest in restoring cultural and historical sites.

Ghana wants to see a million tourists every year visiting the newly-refurbished Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. As the first African nation to gain Independence from colonial rule, this cultural heritage site has huge significance for all people of African descent, and the area had been closed for renovations since 2015.

Among the new attractions are a presidential library and Freedom Walk.

“The burial site of Kwame Nkrumah must be appropriate to his status as the outstanding pan-Africanist of this generation and for his exceptional contribution to the liberation of Africa from colonialism and imperialism,” Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo said during the park’s reopening.

The country now has plans to build more historical parks and museums.

In Benin, a vast memorial and tourist complex is under construction at the coastal town of Ouidah. The town was once one of the most active slave trading ports in Africa. The route where slaves were taken to ships is lined with monuments that lead to a memorial arch, The Door of No Return.

Work on the modernisation of the area began in 2020 and will entail historical reconstruction of a slave ship, gardens of remembrance and recollection, an artisanal village and a hotel. The project is expected to position the country as a major destination for tourists from the diaspora.

In Egypt, a number of archaeological museums, including one of the oldest, the Graeco-Roman Museum, are getting a facelift and modern fixtures as the country ramps up marketing of its “civilisation journey”.

The country’s newest project, the Grand Egyptian Museum, is possible by the end of 2023, according to independent information site, grandegyptianmuseum.org. It is expected to be the largest archaeological museum complex in the world, hosting more than 100,000 artefacts.

The introduction of a multi-entry visa valid for five years, the extension of some tourist visas to three months and cashless payments at museums, are just some of the measures being taken to drive up Egypt’s arrival numbers and encourage longer stays.

Between January and June, Egypt recorded over 7 million tourists arrivals, and the country projects the number to hit 15 million by year-end, against 11 million recorded in 2022.

Source: The star

Following the COVID-19 pandemic crisis that left the tourism industry across the continent on the brink of collapse, the sector is said to be on the rebound, according to the United Nations’ World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The latest UNWTO data shows international arrivals across Africa were back to 88% of pre-pandemic levels at the end of the first quarter of this year with North Africa performing particularly strongly. In this particular sub-region, arrivals were 4% higher than the pre-pandemic levels of 2019 in the same period.

At the global level, international tourism receipts reached US$1 billion in 2022, a 50% growth in real terms compared to 2021. Among African destinations with available data, Morocco and Mauritius notably exceeded their 2019 tourism receipts in the first quarter of 2023.

These findings were shared at a recent high-level meeting in Mauritius which was convened from July 26-28 by the UNWTO. The 66th regional meeting which was held under the theme: ‘Rethinking Tourism in Africa’ provided ministers and senior officials from the continent a platform to share knowledge, ideas, and good practices for building a resilient tourism sector.

The UNWTO welcomed delegations from 33 countries, including 22 tourism ministers, two deputy ministers and four ambassadors to the meeting, the most important annual event for the region’s member states.

Zurab Pololikashvili, the Secretary General of the UNWTO told high-ranking officials that there is need to rethink and re-align the sector’s role as a driver of development and opportunity across the continent.

“Our vision for African tourism is also one of strong governance, more education and more and better jobs. To achieve it, we aim to promote innovation, advocate for Brand Africa, facilitate travel, and unlock growth through investment and public-private partnerships,” he said.

Pololikashvili said the UNWTO continues to lead tourism’s shift to greater sustainability, recognizing the impact of extreme weather events, including the potential for heat waves to cut off the lifeline the sector offers for destinations worldwide.

At the same meeting, Patricia Scotland, the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 56 independent but, mainly former British colonies, called for more collaboration than ever before, if a resilient tourism sector that works for people, prosperity and the planet is to be harnessed. She highlighted the intricate vulnerability of the tourism industry and the collective action needed to address it.

The meeting in Mauritius comes at a time when the global tourism industry is on the path to recovery after suffering a crushing blow from the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 alone, the sector faced a severe setback with 1.1 billion fewer international tourist arrivals and the loss of over 100 million jobs worldwide.

“Despite a strong recovery in 2022, to almost two-thirds of pre-pandemic levels, the world today is tightly bound by a tangled knot of crises spanning global economic, environmental and security systems, which pose series threats to the tourism sector,” Scotland told the delegates.

She also highlighted the disproportionate impact on small island developing states (SIDS), which are heavily reliant on tourism. In 2020, the SIDS experienced a 9% decline in their gross domestic product, significantly higher than the global average of 3.4%

Given that two-thirds of the world’s small island developing states are part of the Commonwealth, Scotland emphasised the fact that sustainable tourism is a priority for the Commonwealth. She stressed the urgency of addressing these challenges collectively, adding: “We need to leave this meeting with a plan to deliver an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient tourism sector. This is imperative for the economy of each country which depends on it in Africa and beyond.”

Describing the meeting as a pivotal opportunity, Scotland invited countries to work together on an array of innovative legal and financial solutions for the tourism sector. “We already have the knowledge, the ideas, the innovation and the technology to develop and deliver these solutions… What we need is leadership and a shared commitment not to go alone, but to go together.”

Scotland said she has confidence in Commonwealth Africa’s ability to show that leadership and set the continent on a path of sustainable and resilient tourism industry.

In order to support this effort, she outlined how the Commonwealth’s work could assist countries in addressing tourism challenges through knowledge exchange, data-sharing and capacity-building. In particular, Scotland spoke about the Commonwealth’s ‘Their Future, Our Action’ project, which has been enhancing the economic resilience of small states.

She highlighted two tools developed through this project which can support the efforts of African countries. The first tool, the ‘Common Pool Asset Structuring Strategy,’ consolidates individual finance applications into country-wide opportunities, while the second tool, the Political-Economic Resilience Index, provides credible data on the economic and vulnerability levels of small states, making inward investments more attractive.

This work, she added, was backed by the Commonwealth’s ongoing advocacy on the reform of global financing rules to make development and climate finance more accessible to small states, enabling them to invest more in sustainable development, climate action and tourism resilience.

Source: Independent

Egypt ranked 4th for sustainability performance compared to competing destinations, report by Bain & Company finds

The market for sustainable tourism is set to boom, with two-thirds of travellers saying sustainability is an important factor when choosing leisure holidays, a new survey showed.

The focus on green travel comes as tourism is bouncing back strongly from the coronavirus pandemic, with the sector expected to reach $17 trillion by 2027, compared with $11 trillion before the pandemic that damaged the industry, a July report by Bain & Company said.

About 64 per cent of the survey respondents said that sustainability considerations influence their choices.

The report said 66 per cent are willing to pay extra for more sustainable offerings and 57 per cent would recommend a holiday destination based on sustainability considerations.

Looking ahead, 73 per cent of consumers surveyed expect sustainability to become more important over the next five years.

“The uptake in sustainable tourism is driven by an appetite to travel sustainably and make more responsible choices,” Karim Henain, partner at Bain & Company Middle East, said.

Bain has developed a framework defining the components of sustainable tourism: environmental impact (eco-friendly transport and accommodation), social responsibility (diversity, equity, and inclusion standards), and community engagement (contract with locals), he said.

The global travel and tourism industry is facing increasing pressure from environmental campaigners to reduce its carbon emissions given concerns about the impact of billions of passengers who are expected to take to the skies in the coming years.

The Bain study aimed to better understand the behaviour and preferences of travellers interested in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) as a destination. The research covered consumers from Germany, Italy, France, the UK, Saudi Arabia and China.

The research found that there is a “significant opportunity” among the “sustainability enthusiasts” segment of travellers interested in visiting the Mena region.

Bain defined sustainability enthusiasts as those who consider sustainability “extremely important,” both in their daily life and when travelling for leisure.

Sustainability enthusiasts were found in all markets surveyed, but their demographics varied by country, the report said.

For example, those from China and Saudi Arabia were mainly highly educated millennials, whereas their European peers were almost equally spread across age groups, income and education levels.

Sustainability enthusiasts represent an important market of untapped growth for the green travel and tourism industry, according to Bain.

For example, compared to other survey respondents, they are four times more likely to consider sustainability aspects as “extremely important” when choosing a holiday destination and seven times more likely to recommend a holiday destination driven by sustainability.

They are also 1.6 times more willing to pay for more sustainable choices, at a premium of 15 to 20 percentage points compared to non-enthusiasts, the Bain study showed.

“While we recognize that there is a ‘say versus do’ gap in terms of what consumers actually choose and how much more they are willing to pay for more sustainable choices, sustainability enthusiasts remain a significant segment that countries can tackle through different sustainability offerings,” the report said.

Egypt has launched several initiatives to improve the sustainability performance of its travel and tourism sector.

The North African tourism-dependent country aims to provide continuous support to eco-certified tourism establishments and businesses, increase sectoral awareness of sustainable operations and reduce the negative impact of harmful tourism development and practices.

Overall, Greece ranked first as the holiday destination perceived to be most sustainable, while Egypt ranked fourth.

However, the perception of Egypt significantly improved among sustainability enthusiasts, who ranked it second after Greece.

“Egypt has a significant opportunity to develop its sustainable tourism industry. If developed and positioned well, this will allow Egypt to tap into new tourist segments, expand the network of promoters for tourism in Egypt, and get a higher share of wallet,” the report said.

“A concerted effort and mobilisation from all players in the tourism ecosystem in Egypt is required to capitalise on this opportunity.”

Source: The National News

The Hero Dubai Desert Classic has become the first golf event in the Middle East and first within the DP World Tour Rolex Series to achieve GEO Certified Tournament status, demonstrating the event’s leadership among sustainable golf events.

The distinction is awarded and assured by the international non-profit GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf, and is based on the strength of commitment, breadth and depth of action, and range of tangible measured impacts across a broad sustainability agenda.

Obtaining GEO Certified status has become a notable achievement showcased by many of the world’s most renowned golf venues and events.

Commenting on the achievement, Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic said: ‘We are delighted that the Dubai Desert Classic is the first golf event in the Middle East to achieve this important distinction, and milestone. It speaks to our strong dedication to tackling priority environmental and social issues, as we strive to deliver meaningful net positive impacts through the event. With the wide reach that the tournament has, we hope this achievement will help to raise awareness and inspire other events, businesses, and individuals across the region and beyond.”

Meanwhile, Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) at Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said the Dubai Desert Classic’s certification is a laudable achievement.

‘With 2023 being the Year of Sustainability in the UAE, and as the country prepares to host COP28, the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, the Dubai Desert Classic’s certification is a laudable achievement and a meaningful step towards achieving the wider, national Net Zero objectives,” Al Khaja said.

“We congratulate them on their inspiring commitment to resource efficiency and climate action. This accomplishment sets an exceptional example of sustainable best practice within such high-profile global mass events, further reinforcing the city’s position as an international events hub in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda 2033 launched by our visionary leadership to further consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the top three global cities.”

The criteria for the certification of tournaments spans a range of priority sustainability themes and action areas; supported by detailed best practices; which are in turn weighted and scored.

A minimum number of points are required to achieve certification. These are verified by an accredited, third party and expert verifier, who visits during event week to observe practices, projects, and other activations on site.

A verifier report is then submitted to the GEO Certification Ltd team, a subsidiary of the GEO Foundation. If the criteria are met, certification is then awarded accompanied by key Continual Improvement Points.

Meanwhile, Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) at Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said the Dubai Desert Classic’s certification is a laudable achievement.

‘With 2023 being the Year of Sustainability in the UAE, and as the country prepares to host COP28, the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, the Dubai Desert Classic’s certification is a laudable achievement and a meaningful step towards achieving the wider, national Net Zero objectives,” Al Khaja said.

“We congratulate them on their inspiring commitment to resource efficiency and climate action. This accomplishment sets an exceptional example of sustainable best practice within such high-profile global mass events, further reinforcing the city’s position as an international events hub in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda 2033 launched by our visionary leadership to further consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the top three global cities.”

The criteria for the certification of tournaments spans a range of priority sustainability themes and action areas; supported by detailed best practices; which are in turn weighted and scored.

A minimum number of points are required to achieve certification. These are verified by an accredited, third party and expert verifier, who visits during event week to observe practices, projects, and other activations on site.

A verifier report is then submitted to the GEO Certification Ltd team, a subsidiary of the GEO Foundation. If the criteria are met, certification is then awarded accompanied by key Continual Improvement Points.

Andrew Lynch, Head of Sustainability for the European Tour group, said: ‘It is wonderful to see events across the DP World Tour schedule leaning into sustainability in this way. Making it integral to the way they are planned, staged, and promoted. It aligns fully with our own Green Drive strategy, and leadership actions we are taking across our own operations and our owned and staged events. We encourage all of our valued tournament promoters to join the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in making their tournaments a true showcase for sustainability.”

Source: khaleejtimes

Nairobi — The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) is urging Kenyans to embrace domestic travel, explore new experiences, and contribute to the growth of the local tourism industry.

The call comes as the “You Deserve A Holiday” campaign has so far sold 108,963 bed nights, generating Sh1.1 billion since it was launched a year ago.

Speaking during the domestic activation drive held at Sigona Golf Club, KTB Chairperson Francis Gichaba emphasized the importance of domestic tourism in supporting local communities and economies.

He noted that while the campaign has already achieved significant milestones, there is still much potential to explore.

“We have seen communities and towns which have come up because of domestic tourism,” said Gichaba.

“This is indeed a transformative phenomenon and speaks of the potential for further growth. We are creating new destinations through the ‘You Deserve A Holiday’ campaign as we encourage Kenyans to explore their own backyard.”

Since its launch in June 2022, the “You Deserve A Holiday” campaign has successfully partnered with over 20 industry stakeholders, including tour operators, airlines, and hoteliers.

These collaborations have resulted in comprehensive travel packages designed to offer seamless experiences for domestic travellers.

The campaign aims to penetrate potential areas within the domestic market and sustain long-term demand for domestic travel through joint marketing initiatives, such as golf tour series, mall activations, corporate visits, church activations, and media promotions.

The campaign has been to various destinations in the country including Nairobi, Machakos, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret through the Magical Kenya golf Tour.

On their part, travel trade partners have shown their commitment to promoting domestic travel and enhancing the overall tourism experience.

Jambojet Ag. Head of Sales and Marketing, Cynthia Otoro expressed enthusiasm about the growing trend of local travel stating:

“It is encouraging to see that people are embracing more local travel more and more. Through this campaign, we’ve uncovered places that people have never known existed,” she said.

“We are proud to be part of the tourism and travel ecosystem as we are able to provide and give access to the hotels, tour operators, and other stakeholders involved in creating memorable travel experiences.”

The campaign is set to continue its activation drives, with upcoming events in Nyeri and Mombasa.

Source: Capital Business

The event, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, highlighted the crucial role assigned to the city’s tourism sector in driving the success of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33

Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) held its first ‘City Briefing’ of the year on June 15.

Hosted for stakeholders and partners, the event was attended by Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and more than 1,200 top executives from across the tourism ecosystem including aviation, travel, hospitality and retail sectors.

Attendees were given the opportunity to gain in-depth insights into the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which was launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the top three global cities.

The event, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, highlighted the crucial role assigned to the city’s tourism sector in ensuring the success of the 10-year agenda.

Highlights of DET’s briefing

In addition to the focus on the D33 Agenda, the latest data and industry outlook for 2023 and beyond were also shared by DET at the ‘City Briefing’ which was presided over by Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of DET.

Almarri said: “The Dubai Economic Agenda, D33 is a bold and ambitious plan developed under the visionary leadership of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to create a legacy that will be celebrated by future generations, as we foster a climate of innovation, sustainability and inclusivity to pave the way for a future where Dubai stands proudly among the world’s top three premier destinations. With great optimism for 2023 and beyond, we will press on with determination and a renewed focus on delivering exceptional experiences for our visitors from around the world.”

Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, also presented an overview of the industry and shared valuable insights into visitor trends and marketing strategies to the gathering.

He stressed the importance of collaboration with stakeholders and partners to ensure Dubai remains the preferred destination for global travellers and highlighted the various global campaigns that have successfully showcased the diversity of Dubai’s offering, further reinforcing its position as a must-visit destination.

He said that DET’s continuous efforts to promote Dubai across its international markets was directly responsible for driving 57 per cent of the total visitation of 14.4 million international visitors in 2022, generating millions of prospective travellers for the future, especially an anticipated substantial increase in travellers from 2023 to 2025.

These marketing activities, he said, have further influenced 11 million individuals to plan their Dubai trips and also inspired six million people to add Dubai to their ‘bucket list’ of destinations to visit between this year and 2025.

Dubai tourism and hospitality performance showcased

Dubai’s tourism sector delivered a robust performance, for the fourth successive month this year, welcoming 6.02 million international visitors from January-April, an 18 per cent year-on-year increase, compared to 5.10 million visitors during the same four-month period in 2022.

Dubai’s hotel sector reflected an average occupancy of 80 per cent during the January-April period this year, among the highest in the world, exceeding the 76 per cent level achieved by city hotels during the corresponding period in 2022 and nearly matching the pre-pandemic 83 per cent occupancy in 2019.

According to a STR Global Hotel Monitoring Update, Dubai ranked first in occupancy, with a rate of 79.9 per cent, only 2.9 percentage points below the pre-pandemic levels of 82.7 per cent, placing it ahead of other global destinations like London, New York, Los Angeles and Paris. The report also revealed that Dubai ranked first in Gross Operating Profit per Available Room (GOPAR), with a rate of U$145 (Dhs530), just 9 per cent below pre-pandemic levels, followed by Paris ($113) and Singapore ($102) respectively.

Hotel supply reached 148,949 rooms in 814 hotel establishments at the end of April 2023, a 26 per cent growth over the pre-pandemic figures of 118,449 rooms in 722 hotel establishments at the end of April 2019. Moreover, the average length of stay by guests has increased by 13 per cent to four nights compared to 3.5 nights in 2019, indicating Dubai’s appeal as a destination for longer-stay travellers.

According to data from industry expert Amadeus, search and booking volumes for Dubai remained steady from September 2021 to April 2023, with searches and bookings to Dubai during January to April 2023 nearing pre-pandemic levels and especially close to the high numbers seen during the Expo and pre-World Cup 2022 period.

Kids Go Free summer campaign to drive tourism

Kazim discussed the ‘Kids Go Free’ campaign, which aims to encourage families and global travellers to choose Dubai as their summer vacation destination. Hotels, entertainment centres and attractions are participating in this citywide initiative, offering families and children the opportunity to enjoy memorable experiences at attractive discounts and also free of cost for kids all summer.

Kazim provided insights into the extensive in-market activities carried out by DET’s overseas offices and over 3,000 global partners including travel trade and airline partnerships for leisure tourism, international roadshows and familiarisation trips for the travel trade and global media.

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, discussed leveraging festivals and events to increase visitation and reinforcing Dubai’s position as an international hub for leisure and business events and the MICE industry. He presented the diverse festivals and events sector in Dubai that are a part of the Retail Calendar including the iconic Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Food Festival, as well as the upcoming Dubai Summer Surprises, Eid in Dubai-Eid Al Adha celebrations, and the second edition of the Dubai Esports and Games festival, in addition to retail offers and promotions that residents and visitors can avail themselves of this summer in Dubai.

Stakeholders and partners attending also shared their milestones and positive outlook for the emirate’s plans to drive tourism and the ‘D33’ agenda.

Source: Gulf Business