Tourism in Dubai: overcoming barriers to destination development

✍ Scribed by Joan C. Henderson

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 164 KB
• Volume: 8
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1099-2340
• DOI: 10.1002/jtr.557

✦ Synopsis

The Middle East as a whole attracts comparatively few visitors, and political events in the current century have generated new uncertainties and tensions which seem likely to further discourage tourists and investors. Additional barriers relate to poor accessibility, a perceived lack of conventional attractions and limited promotion. Despite these apparently unfavourable circumstances, international tourism has been adopted by the Dubai authorities as a core element in a programme of economic diversification. They have invested heavily in expensive facilities, as well as undertaken extensive marketing, and the outcome has been strong growth in tourism. There are great expectations of the future, reflected in the setting of very high arrival targets. However, there are also several constraints that might inhibit progress, with a need to review strategies. The experience of Dubai thus serves to illustrate factors that are critical to destination development, major impediments and approaches to overcoming these.