P&O Marinas, a DP World Company and the world-class developer for marinas, held a virtual workshop, in collaboration with Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) and Emirates Airline, to discuss the resumption of the cruise season 2020/2021 in Dubai.
“We have been working with various cruise liners and relevant authorities to ensure that we are all aligned with the efforts being made under the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai to restart the economy with great emphasis on establishing detailed health and safety guidelines for each sector. The precautionary measures and safety protocols that are being formulated for cruise tourism will be implemented when cruise ships arrive in Dubai during the forthcoming season. We can assure cruise tourists of the highest global safety standards at every stage of their travel journey from the time they disembark in Dubai to the point they depart from our cruise terminals,” Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, commented.
He further said that the cruise sector in Dubai has always shown great potential and the sustainable year-on-year growth that we have achieved is due to the continued support of our partners such as DP World, GDRFA and Emirates. “Since the reopening of the city to tourists on 7 July, we are encouraged by the response and continue to welcome visitors to the city. We expect to see cruise ships bringing tourists back to Dubai once all the relevant protocols are in place. Dubai Tourism has also put together an impressive excursion itinerary as part of efforts to position the city as the cruise tourism destination of choice for international cruise travelers,” Almarri added.
Mohammed Al Mannaei, CEO, P&O Marinas and Executive Director, Mina Rashid clarified: “We will always prioritise the health and safety of all our citizens and guests; inspired by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, since all the implemented resolute measures emphasise his statement “Our people are our most valuable asset”. The cruise sector is the fastest growing sector in the travel industry, so we know consumers want to see it back in action as quickly as possible. We were pleased to see the high number of participants in this virtual event and it is reassuring to know we are all coming together to ensure the cruise ship industry returns to normality as quickly as possible. We are also looking forward to seeing our landmark Mina Rashid Marina welcome cruise ships again. We have been monitoring the situation closely and feel confident we can assure customer safety. Our long-standing relationship with shipping lines and our mutually beneficial relationship with stakeholders around the world have held us in good stead as we identify appropriate solutions to ensure tourism flows and business continuity in Dubai.”
