●        Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) undertakes strategic initiatives aimed at expanding its presence in Tier 2 and Tier 3 Indian markets

●        Pan-India roadshows, trade workshops and mega FAMs driving footfall during the summer season

INDIA, August 21st 2024: With the South Asian market continuing to show great promise, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has significantly intensified its promotional efforts in this region, with a focus on wooing more travellers to the city from India, a key market, to further bolster the current summer travel season. DET has been targeting potential markets through a comprehensive strategy including media familiarisation visits, participation in Arabian Travel Market (ATM), and roadshows across key metropolitan areas, as well as Tier 2 and 3 cities across North and South India.

From South Asia, Dubai welcomed 1.62 million international overnight visitors from January to June 2024 compared to the 1.60 million tourist arrivals during the same period in 2023.Overall,the results have been remarkable, with Dubai welcoming 9.31 million international overnight visitors in H1 2024, a 9% YoY increase.

The decision to focus on Tier 2 and 3 cities in India stems from a notable increase in outbound travel from these regions, driven by rising disposable incomes and a burgeoning interest in experiential travel among Indian travellers. Further, with 13–15 million Indians obtaining passports annually, India will remain a crucial market for Dubai. Recognising the potential of these emerging cities, DET has taken steps to cater to the sophisticated demands of travellers seeking curated and memorable experiences across lifestyle, adventure, gastronomy and more.

By fostering strong partnerships with local travel agents and providing them with extensive training, DET empowers the travel trade industry to effectively promote and deliver unique travel experiences to discerning Indian travellers. These visitors have experienced notable Dubai attractions such as AYA Universe, La Perle by Dragone show, Real Madrid World, The View at the Palm, and more. They are also made familiar with other attractions including Deep Dive Dubai (world’s deepest pool), Dubai Safari Park (home to about 3,000 animals), Sonara Camp (luxury desert experience), and Green Planet (indoor vertical rain-forest).

Between April and June 2024, DET organised mega familiarisation trips, hosting over 200 travel agents from major Tier 1, 2 and 3 cities across India. DET’s participation in trade exhibitions such as SATTE 2024 and ATM 2024 also enabled travel agents to get more insights into Dubai’s diverse offerings, that aim to attract both new and repeat visitors.

In early June 2024, DET concluded its first series of roadshows in India, covering Hyderabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, and nearby Tier 2 and 3 cities. These events drew nearly 600 travel trade professionals from 10 cities, including Vizag, Kurnool, Vijayawada, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Varanasi and Allahabad. These trade initiatives are set to be a cornerstone for the Indian travel trade, offering an immersive experience with keynote speeches from industry leaders, insightful panel discussions on the latest trends and challenges, and a curated networking lunch designed to foster meaningful connections. Dubai stakeholders such as Expo City, Emirates, Palazzo Versace Dubai, Costa Cruises, Dubai Holding, Rove Hotels, and more also participated in these events.

In order to further strengthen inbound travel from India, DET organised trade workshops in Coimbatore, Trivandrum and Surat, and also engaging agents from neighbouring cities like Salem, Erode, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Navsari, Valsad and Bardoli. The workshops provided comprehensive insights into Dubai’s evolving tourism landscape, including new and existing attractions, world-class hospitality and culinary experiences, ultra-luxury offerings, and adventure tourism, enabling the travel trade community to curate diverse and enriching itineraries.

 “Dubai values its long-standing relationship with India, and our inbound visitation from the market has been outstanding, thanks to exceptional flight connectivity, a convenient visa process, and a strong commitment to the Indian market. This has contributed to a record-breaking performance by our tourism sector. We are dedicated to showcasing various facets of Dubai through multi-city roadshows, trade workshops and mega familiarisation trips, as well as participation in major exhibitions, to further reinforce our position as the preferred outbound destination for Indian travellers.”

Bader Ali Habib, Regional Head of Proximity Markets at Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism,

DET continues to engage with its travel trade partners through workshops, as well as mega familiarisation trips featuring over 50 travel agents from across India, focusing primarily on Tier 2 and 3 cities. Further, a series of roadshows is scheduled for November in the cities of New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. DET’s outreach spreads to 40 Indian cities, including smaller ones where Dubai is one of the few active destinations, mainly due to DET’s extensive outreach in the region.

To read DET’s latest performance and industry reports, please visit: dubaidet.gov.ae

About Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)

With the ultimate vision of making Dubai the world’s leading commercial centre, investment hub and tourism destination, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) is mandated to support the Government in positioning the emirate as a major hub for global economy and tourism, and in boosting the city’s economic and tourism competitiveness indicators, in line with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which aims to double the size of the emirate’s economy and consolidate its position among the top three global cities over the next decade.

Under this remit, DET is driving efforts to further enhance Dubai’s diversified, innovative service-based economy to attract top global talent, deliver a world-class business environment and accelerate productivity growth. Additionally, DET is supporting Dubai’s vision to become the world’s best city to visit, live and work in by promoting its diverse destination proposition, unique lifestyle and outstanding quality of life, overall.

DET is the principal authority for planning, supervising, developing and marketing Dubai’s business and tourism sectors. It is also responsible for licensing and classifying all types of businesses, including hotels, tour operators and travel agents. DET’s portfolio includes Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation (DBLC), Dubai Corporation for Consumer Protection and Fair Trade (DCCPFT), Dubai SME, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) and Dubai College of Tourism (DCT).

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