Dubai
Tourism in Dubai is a part of the Dubai government’s strategy to maintain the flow of foreign cash into the emirates. Dubai’s lure for tourists is based mainly on shopping, but also on its possession of other ancient and modern attractions. Dubai got ranked as the world’s 7th most visited city by international tourists that have visited Dubai according to the recently released list and survey of Euromonitor in 2018.
Over the last decade, Dubai has seen strong growth within the tourism sector through the addition of new attractions and landmarks. Dubai attracted 13.2 million visitors in 2014, the majority of which come from neighbouring Arab countries. Visitors from all parts of the world are also common.
According to the Dubai Tourism Board, in 2017, there were 15.79[6] millions of tourist visiting Dubai. It is estimated that there will be 20 million visitors in 2020.
Tourist accommodation in Dubai is ubiquitous and relatively expensive. In the last three years, Dubai saw an increase in 4 and 5-star hotels and a number of rooms, but a decrease in standard hotel apartments. The total number of rooms increased by 9,098 from 2015-2017, an increase of 9.25%. In early August 2013, plans for Dubai’s first underwater hotel, the Water Discus Hotel, were publicly revealed. Developed by Polish company Deep Ocean Technology, the Water Discus will be the world’s largest hotel of its kind and will be in addition to two underwater suites in existence at Dubai’s The Palm: Atlantis Accommodation Venue.
Tourists are required to obey some Muslim religious restrictions in public even if they are not Muslim themselves, such as refraining from eating or drinking in public places in the daytime during Ramadan fasting. In 2008 one Russian woman was put on trial for drinking juice in public during the month of Ramadan. Dubai has a modest dress code as part of its criminal law.
Sleeveless tops and short dresses may not be allowed at Dubai Mall. Clothes are advised to be inappropriate lengths. Expats and tourists are not allowed to consume alcohol in public, besides licensed venues (such as bars and hotel restaurants) or private homes.
Apostasy is a crime punishable by death in the UAE. UAE incorporates hudud crimes of Islamic law into its Penal Code – apostasy being one of them. Although no one has ever been sentenced to death for apostasy, Article 1 and Article 66 of UAE’s Penal Code requires hudud crimes to be punished with the death penalty, Therefore apostasy is punishable by death in the UAE.
Most capitals and other major cities have direct flights to Dubai. More than 120 airlines operate to and from Dubai International Airport to more than 260 destinations, making it one of the world’s busiest.
Dubai is also the home base of Emirates Airline, the international airline of the UAE, which operates scheduled services to more than 100 destinations. In June 2009 Emirates airline designated a special handling area at departures and arrivals for passengers with special needs, allowing wheelchair passengers to receive a more personalized service.
The establishment of the first cruise terminal in Dubai in 2001 and the opening of the enhanced New Dubai Cruise Terminal in February 2010 with higher handling capacity has drawn the attention of cruise line operators. Cruises to Dubai sail from: Singapore, Sydney, Athens, Dover, Venice, Cape Town, Civitavecchia, Piraeus, Alexandria, Istanbul, New York City, Southampton, Barcelona, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Monte Carlo, Mombasa, Victoria, and Cairns among others. The United Arab Emirates has a network of roads that connect major towns and villages, including a multi-lane highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with access to and from the bordering countries of Saudi Arabia and Oman. Highways and main roads in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates are designated by an Emirate Route Number. Speed limits are displayed on road signs and are usually 60-80kph (37-50 mph) around town and 100-120kph (62-74 mph) elsewhere. Dubai ranked third in the best taxi services behind Tokyo and Singapore.
