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Dubai sets the pace for tourism growth

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Experience Dubai with Arabian Adventures unique excursions (below) Payet

IT has been an exciting run for Peter Payet since he took over as senior vice president at Arabian Adventures in November 2010.

Payet who has worked for the division since its inception in 1993 and seen its growth in line with parent company, the Emirates Group, for the past 20 years.

“The desert always has a special place in my heart. I visited Dubai in early 1992 and had the opportunity to join one of the desert safaris at that time arranged by Emirates Holidays, and I was so impressed with the natural beauty of the desert and campsite that was set up for a feast fit for a king.

“When I got back to my hometown in Seychelles, I immediately started looking at an opportunity to come and work in Dubai,” said Payet in an interview with TTN.

“One of my biggest challenges to date has been setting up the region for cruise business. Coming from a background where I had a lot of experience in handling cruise ship, I was convinced that Dubai has all the elements to make a great hub for cruises. I devoted my energy working with the Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and various government departments to set up procedures and make it simple for cruise passengers to visit our city,” said Payet.

“The initial challenges were to try to work with the various ports in the region to standardise their procedures in line with industry standards worldwide.

“Today Dubai has become a significant player in the cruise industry and is investing heavily to continue to grow this sector. We have seen a significant and positive change throughout the region and further work is in progress to enhance the entire region so that we are more appealing for regional cruise operations,” he added.

According to Payet, the UAE’s tourism prospects have, on a global level led it to compete against some of the leading cities in the world based on its infrastructure, economy and regional network. 

“Tourists come to the UAE to seek a world like no other and the inflow of such travellers is what allows Arabian Adventures to continue servicing guests from all across the world.”

The number of tourists visiting Dubai experienced a healthy growth of 10 per cent in 2011, reaching a total of 9.3 million for the year (Source: DTCM statistics), whilst Abu Dhabi experienced a growth of 17 per cent or 2.1 million tourist arrivals for the same period. Inbound travel to the UAE reached Dh110.5 billion ($30 billion) during 2011 in visitor exports and this is expected to have grown by 17 per cent by the end of 2012.

“With such strong figures, it is clear to see that the UAE has the potential to grow further and mark itself on the map not only for its grand landmarks but for the culture and activities that it has to offer its visitors, with the help of Arabian Adventures,” he commented.

“We are constantly doing what we can to ensure that visitors to the UAE have a thrilling selection of activities to choose from throughout their visit, from unique shopping excursions that highlight the diverse shopping experience Dubai is famed for, to bespoke experiences – available with our Exclusive Collection brochure  - which encompass local culture  to local hideaways and tour packages to encourage a deeper understanding of what the region has to offer.

These all complement our more classic excursions such as the Desert Safaris, Boating Adventures, Hot Air Balloon rides and more.”

Looking ahead, Payet believes that the travel industry continues to change and evolve both on a local and a global level. With this in mind, the team at Arabian Adventures remain focused on the changing trends to ensure they are aware of the economic, political and social factors that affect traveller behaviour.

“Locally, in recent months, we have seen a growth of interest in cruise holidays. The development of the UAE’s investment in cruise infrastructure is likely to open up a wealth of opportunities across the Emirate, especially for a Destination Management Company (DMC) like Arabian Adventures as well as our colleagues over at Emirates Holidays.

“According to the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), the Dubai Cruise Terminal alone welcomed 108 cruise ships with 396,500 passengers, during 2011. This year, Dubai is expected to welcome 420,000 cruise tourists, an incredible feat for a small yet influential city and a great sign for times to come for the cruise industry,” said Payet.

“Mice travel is also a major contributor to the success of the travel and tourism industry in the region as a great number of our bookings come through Mice industry business travellers.

“As a robust travel market, travellers to the UAE are looking to receive the very best in business and leisure infrastructure, services and products – areas that Arabian Adventures is skilled in servicing to ensure they make the most of their trip. Through tailored tours and activities, Arabian Adventures helps create unforgettable experiences that showcase the UAE’s diverse offering,”

“Over the last 20 years, Dubai has developed to become a truly global hub, as it possesses the perfect balance between the East and West that appeals to business and leisure travellers.

At Arabian Adventures, we hope to introduce many more activities to support this year-on-year growth in order to help the Emirate maintains its position as a leading global destination,” he concluded.

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