Curtains down on MATIW: Anticipated 20% jump in Russian tourists to Dubai

Curtains down on MATIW: Anticipated 20% jump in Russian tourists to Dubai

As curtains came down on the Moscow Autumn Travel Industry Week (MATIW) or “Leisure 2012″ held recently in Moscow, the 74 participants of Dubai Pavilion said they expected a 20% rise in the number of Russian tourists to Dubai by the end of the year as compared to 2011

Fadi Boustany, Editor-in-Chief of Aviamost magazine, attributed the rise to 40% increase in the number of seats on most flights between Dubai and Moscow and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

George Moussa, Chairman, Planet Group, said new airlines, Thai Airways and SriLankan Airlines for example, are set to fly tourists between Moscow and Dubai. “These are added to current carriers, like Transaero Airlines which plans to increase its two weekly flights between the two cities to four.”

Moussa added that the Pegas Touristik Company, which owns a private fleet, runs 11 flights a week between Dubai and big cities in Russia and Ukraine. “These are apart from the Aeroflot Russian Company which flies two daily flights from Moscow to Dubai, along with FlyDubai and Air Arabia airlines – each flies several flights between Dubai and main Russian cities on a daily basis.”

M.C. Mani, Chairman, Royal Park Tourism, said the five-star hotel rooms at the Jumeirah Beach residential (GPRS) area, being available at reasonable rates, is one of the main reasons behind half of the anticipated growth in the number of Russian tourists to Dubai.

“The other half is attributed to the affordable rates of Dubai downtown hotels which suit the low budget tourists coming from these countries,” he said, adding that this summer season has seen a 20% rise so far in the number of Russian tourists to Dubai against last year.

Samir Al Tabbaa, CEO, Desert Adventures Company, expected some 35% boost in the capacity of Moscow-Dubai flights in the new tourist season. “This will give a push to the Russian tourist companies to promote Dubai more to meet the hike.”

Talal Al Suwaidi, Chairman, North and South Europe Division – DTCM, said all participants in Dubai Pavilion are happy about the Fair, and do expect an exceptional increase in the number of Russian tourists to Dubai. “We have noticed a high demand from both Russian tourists and travel companies to visit or organise tours to Dubai next season.”

Hailing the participation in the Fair, Major Jassim Ahli, Manager of Entry Permits Department, General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, said the international gala timely coincides with the new tourist season.

“We have been more than ready to reply to all the queries of the Russian companies present, and identify all the services and facilities being provided to Dubai tourists in general and Russian tourists in particular.”

Bashar Turk, Asst. Director of Sales at Gloria Hotel in Dubai, affirmed that the representatives of Russian tourist companies are expecting a momentous rise, not less than 20%, in the number of Russian tourists to Dubai this tourist season. “The occupancy rates of Russian and CIS tourists at the 1,010-room Gloria Hotel in Dubai hit 15% in most months of the year.”

Abdullah Al Suwaidi, CEO, Media Tourism & Travel, was excited about their participation in the Fair, the third with DTCM. “We are specialised in the Russian market, and runs our own representative office in Moscow under the same name,” he said, adding that “Media Tourism & Travel has attracted some 40,000 Russian tourists to Dubai and hopes to increase the number to 100,000 in two years.”

The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) in Dubai on Saturday concluded its outstanding participation at the Moscow Autumn Travel Industry Week (MATIW) or “Leisure 2012″ – Sept19 to 22, with 74 tourist participants from Dubai to promote the emirate’s tourist attractions in the Russian market.