Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Wednesday, Jun 04, 2025

Dubai tourism chief confident about quick coronavirus rebound

Dubai tourism chief confident about quick coronavirus rebound

Helal Al Marri says impact on Dubai from global coronavirus pandemic will not take long to heal

The scars on Dubai’s tourism industry caused by the global coronavirus pandemic will not take long to heal, according to the emirate’s tourism chief Helal Al Marri.

The city reopened its doors to international travellers almost three months ago following an intense period of lockdown as part of government measures to contain the spread of the deadly Covid-19 virus.

Al Marri, who is director general, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), told the AHIC On the road conference on Wednesday: “The reality is, we do not see, at this time, any long-term impact on the travel and tourism industry. People want to travel, we see that by the searches we have online, we see that through the extensive surveys and our research.”

At the end of lockdown, online search levels for Dubai were at 53 percent, which increased to 75 percent through August, “and we’ve seen that growing since over the course of September”, said Al Marri, who was presented with the AHIC Leadership Award, in recognition of his achievements in leading the Dubai’s tourism sector to unprecedented levels of success.


Statistics from STR presented at the event show average occupancy levels in Dubai, as of the week ending September 20, were at 46 percent, below the 60 percent level set in Abu Dhabi, but above Riyadh (44 percent), Jeddah (36 percent), Kuwait City (24 percent), Manama (22 percent), Muscat (19 percent) and Medina (14 percent).

And occupancy projections from STR for the 90 days, from September 21, show Dubai at 16 percent, ahead of several major cities, including Paris, London, Sydney, Amsterdam and Madrid.

“Right now, during the Covid era we are seeing good growth, but we think that it is going to be tentative if Covid continues for three-to-six months, we’re still going to face troubles through that,” said Al Marri.



He also revealed that there are currently between 15–to-20 percent of markets open to Dubai, with the rest either still closed of “with significant restrictions” – which includes the 14-day quarantine enforced by some nations.

Emirates Airline is currently operating to around 94 destinations across the world. And with further progress on the vaccine front, Al Marri, pictured above, remained confident for the future.

He said: “We do see a very clear path ahead of us over the coming months and quarters.”

Dubai welcomed approximately 16.7 million visitors in 2019. Prior to the pandemic, it had the stated aim of reaching 20 million arrivals by 2020, with a further target of between 23-25 million visitors by 2025.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
×