HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid witnessed the signing of a strategic partnership between Meraas, an investment company dedicated to making Dubai and the U.A.E. better for people to live, work and play in, and Carnival Corp., which aims to transform Dubai into a major maritime tourism hub. The companies agreed to collaborate across several initiatives, including port development, terminal management and cruise development opportunities at Dubai Harbour.
Meraas supports Dubai Tourism Vision 2020, which aims to attract 20 million visitors a year to the emirate, with operations at Dubai Cruise Terminal slated for October 2020, thus becoming the main cruise terminal in Dubai with all ships visiting Port Rashid redirected gradually after opening.
Dubai Cruise Terminal at Dubai Harbour will become Carnival Corp.’s hub for homeporting and transit operations in the region. Currently the largest business of its kind in the GCC, Carnival Corp. commands about 45 per cent of Dubai’s maritime tourism market, with its international brands including Costa Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Seabourn.
“We have a long history in Dubai with our world-leading cruise brands. We are excited to be part of this important venture that will drive new tourism opportunities for Dubai and the region through cruising,” said Arnold W. Donald, chief executive officer, Carnival Corp.
Carnival will launch new cruises from the port, hoping to attract new source markets from India and China. Discussions across the Emirates aim to develop a strategy for offering tailored tours to support the growth of the emerging sector.
Offering easy access to and from the city with views of the skyline’s iconic landmarks, Dubai Harbour will house two cruise terminal buildings of 30,000 square metres, capable of accommodating three cruise ships concurrently. Meraas has planned for two more terminal buildings to increase capacity to six cruise ships at once.
The development will also feature a shopping mall, residential units, restaurants, hotels and a yacht club, as well as the largest yacht marina in the Middle East and North Africa.
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