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Dubai hotels upbeat about tourist arrivals

Dubai, September 17, 2008

Less visitors from the US due to the financial crisis there, does not seem to worry Dubai's hotels, according to industry experts, a report said.

Dubai attracts seven million tourists per year, of which American visitor count is negligible, because the city gets more tourists from Europe, experts feel, according to the Gulf News report.

The city will be forced to look for alternative markets only if the US financial crisis envelops Europe and affects consumer spending, they say.

'Non-essential business travel and leisure travel will inevitability be hit by an economic slowdown. But the UAE is in a better position than other regions to tackle the situation,' said Guy Wilkinson, partner of Dubai-based hospitality and real estate consulting firm Viability.

'Dubai has positioned itself as a destination for wealthy tourists and these people will still be travelling, so the impact will be less than in places like Egypt or Spain,' he added.

In the event of a slowdown, places like Russia will gain importance, said one travel expert. In August, Dubai hotels fared well due to more visitors from Europe thanks to it being a vacation month there, he added.




Tags: Europe | visitors | Dubai hotels | USA |

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