Caribbean International’s operation to the emirate. As a result, between December 14 and the end of March, 2016, Splendour of the Seas will sail from Dubai to Khasab and Muscat then to Abu Dhabi before returning to Dubai.
Mohamed Saeed, general manager, Middle East, Royal Caribbean Arabia, the international representative for Royal Caribbean International in the region, stressed, “The MENA region is vital to our business [...]. We are cooperating with governmental tourism authorities such as DTCM and cruise terminals across the region.”
Moreover, the arrival of Thomson Cruises in Dubai for the 2016/2017 season will mark the first-ever UK-based cruise line to homeport in the region.
According to Saeed, a major contributor to the region’s cruising boom in recent years has been the visa facilitations put in place providing multiple entry permits for cruise travellers.
In agreement, Alessandro Bottaro, head of sales and marketing, Mediterranean new markets, India, Africa and Middle East, Costa Cruises, highlighted that the change in regulation is encouraging news for the entire industry, and especially for markets that were previously weary of cruising in MENA due to the cost and time-consuming nature of obtaining a visa.
“The UAE’s new visa norms that offer a multiple entry tourism permit for cruise passengers has already given a big boost to the local cruise sector, and Sharjah stands out as a special cruise destination where visas for groups with less than 100 tourists are processed within an hour,” Al Midfa further noted.
“Costa believes in the growing potential of cruising in the Arabian Gulf,” enthused Bottaro, noting that the company’s 2015/2016 agenda for the region includes Costa Fortuna and Costa NeoRiviera homeporting in Dubai, with calls in Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Khasab, India and the Indian Ocean.
“For Costa ships, the Arabic Peninsula is now a firm point in our product offer,” commented Bottaro.
Dwelling further on the region’s upward journey within the industry, Al Midfa concluded, “The remarkable growth in the Middle East’s cruise tourism industry reflects that challenges, if any, are negligible and the region has emerged as one of the most attractive destinations for cruise liners.”
