Tourist number drop in Dubai

It seems even the super-rich are reducing the number of holidays they have during the worldwide recession. Dubai, often thought of as a playground for the rich and famous, has seen a marked decline in the number of tourists it received in 2009. Visitor numbers fell by 5.7 per cent compared to 2008 and tourism makes up around 19 per cent of the state’s GDP each year.

Although the number have been steadily dropping over the past year, the country is still a lot better off than most other destinations across the globe. In Thailand it is thought that they have lost almost 50 per cent of their annual tourists to the country, a problem they are working hard to remedy by offering free tourist visas. Dubai is also acting on their dwindling tourists by re-branding itself as a place to go even for the budget traveller.

A recent advertising campaign has highlighted some of the more authentic and cheaper areas to stay in the Arab state. A picture depicts a man eating a local dish in a back street, which is aimed at trying to appeal to a broader range of holidaymakers, not just footballers.

Signs of improvement for the country are already beginning to show after the last quarter results showed a slight increase in the arrivals. With a new campaign and the world in slow recovery from the economic turndown, it looks like Dubai will soon be back on top form, attracting the famous and wealthy as well as a few backpacker types.