Players in the tourism industry in Abu Dhabi welcome changes in the visa regime for cruise passengers, believing that the new measure will positively affect the entire industry.
It is worth recalling that in accordance with Ministerial Decree No. 418, citizens of those countries for which the UAE does not have a simplified visa regime (they cannot get a visa at the airport upon arrival in the country), arriving in the UAE as cruise tourists, now can get a multiple tourist visa for a period of three months, during which the period of a one-time stay in the country can reach 14 days.
The authorities of Abu Dhabi expect this measure to provoke an increase in tourist flow, including through the capital port of Mina Zayed. "The new visa rules will give tourists the opportunity to get to know Abu Dhabi better, and the capital itself to attract more guests from countries such as Russia, China and India," said Nura Al Daheri, a spokeswoman for the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Office.
It should be noted that over the past six years, the capital of the Emirates has experienced an increase in tourist flow. 180 thousand passengers and 88 cruise liners are expected to arrive in Abu Dhabi this season, which is 19% more than last year. In the season 2014-2015, the capital is going to serve more than 100 vessels with 250 thousand passengers on board. Russia, India and China today are among the most important markets for Abu Dhabi. Thus, in the first 9 months of this year, passenger flow from Russia increased by 44% compared to the same period last year.
Captain Mohammed Al Shamisi, Executive Vice President, Port Sector, Ports Abu Dhabi, said: “One of the main trends in the cruise sector is the increase in the number of passengers from countries such as Russia, China and India. We are grateful to the authorities for the relief visa regime, which will certainly contribute to the further diversification of the economy. We are very interested in tourists and are confident that in the near future Abu Dhabi will become an even more popular and affordable destination for recreation. " It is worth noting that the world's leading cruise operators, including Costa Cruises, Cunard, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Holland America Line, Fred Olsen Lines, and the German companies Aida Cruises and TUI Cruises have recently included Abu Dhabi in their routes.
