Dubai-Singapore cruise launch on Nov 4

Royal Caribbean International, a global cruise vacation company, said it will start a 13-night cruise from Dubai to Singapore on November 4 followed by the launch of a Middle East itinerary starting in January next year in Dubai.

The announcement comes as the growth in the global cruise industry looks set to strengthen tourist links between the UAE and Singapore, with both countries developing terminals to meet expected increases in demand.

Earlier this month the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing had announced that the emirate’s new cruise terminal, which can hold four ships at once, will be ready for business in January 2010.

The opening of the Dubai terminal is expected to boost the number of cruise passengers entering the emirate from 260,000 to 380,000 per annum, surpassing market analysts’ predictions of a six percent annual global growth rate to 2020.

At the same time Singapore has broken ground on its International Cruise Terminal (ICT), which once complete in 2011, will double the city’s berthing capacity. Cruise passenger throughput has grown steadily, registering an average annual growth rate of 12 percent between 2003 and 2008, said the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

Lakshmi Durai, executive director of Middle East Royal Caribbean said: “Dubai and Singapore are both fast emerging cruise hubs. We’re very lucky to be working so closely with these ports as both have shown tremendous support to the growth of the cruise industry in their respective markets.”

“The increase of new and impressive cruise terminals means Royal Caribbean International will be able to provide its future guests with a truly first-class experience from beginning to end,” Durai added.

The cruise industry had remained resilient amid the economic downturn, seeing a 20 per cent growth in arrivals in the first half of 2009 compared to the same period last year, according to STB.

It is estimated that Singapore will welcome its one-millionth cruise passenger by year end. Singapore aims to welcome 1.6 million cruise passengers by 2015.

“Asia with its varied landscapes, warm hospitality and multi-cultural appeal is fast becoming the new cruise playground. Leveraging on our excellent air, land and sea connectivity, we aim to make Singapore the cruise hub of the region and welcome more travelers from the Middle East,” said Jason Ong, MEA area director of STB.

“The new cruise ship terminals in Dubai and Singapore will help meet the growth in demand from regional travelers and strengthen tourism links between the two cities. Singapore offers travelers an excellent holiday destination, with top family friendly attractions, luxurious hotels, lush urban nature and some of the best shopping in the world,” he added.

Singapore ICT will be a world-class development strategically located in the city’s new downtown lifestyle and financial hub which is home to new leisure and entertainment attractions, such as the Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay SandsTM, Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Barrage.

ICT’s deep waters, a large turning basin and lack of height restrictions, the world’s largest ships, such as Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas being built now, will be able to call at Singapore and enjoy dedicated cruise terminal facilities, Ong added.-TradeArabia News Service

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Tourists arrival up 4.4% despite flu and global downturn

KUALA LUMPUR: Tourists arrival to Malaysia has gone up by 4.4% in the first eight months of the year compared with the same period last year.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said this was despite the outbreak of the Influenza A(H1N1) and the global economic downturn.

From January to last month, the number of tourists to Malaysia increased to 15.38 million from 14.73 million during the same period last year.

In August alone, tourist arrivals rose by 10.4% to 2.03 million from 1.84 million last year.

“This is an encouraging figure,” said Dr Ng after launching the ministry’s 1Malaysia logo here yesterday.

“This shows that foreign visitors are visiting Malaysia although it is a challenging time now.”

She said tourists from China increased by 14.8% (104,473 people) in August alone, while visitors from Taiwan rose by 30.4% (26,032), Australia, 26.6% (42,969), Britain 16.5% (44.519) and the United States 1.4% (19,557).

Tourists from Singapore increased by 22% (1.09 million) and India by 1.3% (42,332), while visitors from Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea dropped by 5.2% (114,555), 9.9% (181,634) and 15.2% (23,305) respectively.

Dr Ng said tourists from Saudi Arabia and the UAE also decreased by 41.8% and 66.8% to 8,366 and 1,880 respectively due to the Ramadan month. But tourists from Iran increased by 47.9% to 9,470.

Although tourists from most of the popular countries increased, the occupancy rate at local hotels dropped by 3% from January to August compared with last year.

“The decrease shows that visitors are mostly staying with their friends or relatives as well as going for home stay,” Dr Ng said.

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