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"I think the future is great and we expect to see continuous increase in tourism numbers compared to 2017," said Ghassan Aridi, chief executive officer of Alpha Destination Management.
"We are very positive about the future of the industry because the tourism authorities for Dubai know what is required to boost tourism in the emirate and one can see it from the events happening here. A whole lot of exciting activities and exhibitions are taking place which are helping us a lot to increase our business. Dubai is getting bigger and with it the tourism industry is getting bigger."
"As a destination, the UAE continues to impress both residents and visitors with a tourism product that never ceases to evolve," he added. "Dubai's tourism fundamentals are extremely strong and its vision incomparable. The solid foundation that the government has put in place through broadening portfolio of leisure and business attractions and facilities, diversification of source markets, collaboration between various business sectors will continue to boost and sustain demand."
Moussa El Hayek, COO of Al Bustan Centre & Residence, noted that the UAE continues to be a popular destination worldwide as far as travel and tourism is concerned.
He also noted that Dubai Tourism will play a major role in the growing economy of the UAE in 2018. With the slow and steady progress that is being made in promoting the Mice sector in the region in particular, he believes that the industry will flourish and increase its visitors intake significantly in 2018.
"The country boasts of having the best air transport infrastructures in the world, in terms of both connectivity and quality of the service. In the last year, the UAE has significantly focused on developing some segments of tourism particularly cultural, medical tourism, international conferences, and education tourism this year," he said.
"Better ICT infrastructure, partial improvements in visa regulations, and progress in nurturing cultural heritage were some of the prime areas to focus which has created better conditions to develop the travel and tourism sector overall," he added.
Similarly, Ahmed Margoushy, general manager of the Danat Al Ain Resort, said that he is optimistic that 2018 will bring more business and attract more visitors with international events likely to take place in the region. "Hotels will surely take advantage of this opportunity to get a bigger share of the market by continuing to offer quality service and great value. More global events have been planned that will bring great impact to UAE tourism industry since we have the infrastructure and we are a safe destination with great hotel brands that caters for all type of guests."
Speaking about visitor markets and trends in the industry, Filippo Sona, director of the hotels division for the Middle East and North Africa region at Colliers International, said: "The Indian and the Chinese markets are what we see as the mega source market that characterised a large proportion of the inbound tourism of the UAE. In this regard, we forecast inbound tourism to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 7.63 per cent until 2021, with hospitality as a sector growing at five per cent annually."
He noted that 2018 will be a year of re-positioning for some of the hotel stock, particularly in Dubai with those hotels that are 10 years or older in need of refurbishment to be able to compete with the new supply coming to the market. For Dubai, this means that as much as 79,500 keys will need some sort of renovation, in order to stay competitive.
Habib Khan, general manager of the Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa, expects a similar trend in 2018 as more inventory will be added. However, he also expects some impact of VAT on pricing, which will be a considerable factor of travel packages to Dubai.
Occupancy, he feels, may drop three to four per cent, but ADR will be further down by three to five per cent in 2018.
"More group business will be inflow, as out of the top 10 main source markets, five are working on a volume-based business," Khan said. "Theme parks are the new attractions, but due to high prices and open air venues, they are attractive only during the better weather months. Also, the Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Summer Surprises weekend mega sales and exhibitions are the key elements to continue attracting tourists to Dubai."
Greg D'Souza, director of sales and marketing at the Millennium Plaza Dubai, stressed that most visitors choose Dubai as a tourist destination for the overall experience. Dubai is a one-stop destination for shopping, especially electronics and gold, its dining and adventure sports.
Popular attractions such as the Burj Khalifa and festivals like the Dubai Shopping Festival also play an important role in attracting a large influx of tourists to Dubai every year, he added. "The travel and tourism industry will definitely prevail and grow. Not only is Dubai the most sought after destination, but it's also constantly enhancing its offerings."
"With its strategic location, it is a hub for all kinds of travellers be it work, leisure, affinity, or just a stop-over. Moreover, Emirates and other carriers have expanded their network over new territories, so this would bring in additional travelers," he said.
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