No longer just a transfer hub, Dubai seeks more repeat visitors

Dubai is looking to add more airline capacity and is betting on a new visa that facilitates return trips to attract more visitors, as it shifts its focus from serving as a transfer hub and short-term destination. Among the regions the city is targeting is Africa, with Dubai flagship carrier Emirates announcing this month that it’s reinstating its service to Nigeria from Oct. 1. Dubai is also seeking to market itself as a year-round destination, touting sports like padel — a popular cross between tennis and squash — and indoor shopping to overcome its image as an unbearably hot place best avoided in summer. While Emirates and low-cost partner FlyDubai are important channels to push traffic into Dubai, “we don’t tie ourselves to them,” Issam Kazim, the CEO of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Economy, said in an interview. “Whenever it makes business sense to them, we match our plans together and we work with them,” Kazim said in Dubai, citing Emirates’ strong operations and reputation. “But at the same time, if they’re restricted by ceilings or their own growth factor or their own strategy, I immediately go and work with local carriers.” Dubai has long thrived as a gateway for transfer travelers using its hub to connect between global destinations. With the number of available hotel beds more than doubling in a decade, including more facilities for budget-minded travelers, the city has managed to turn itself more into a destination in its own right. The number of repeat visitors within a year now stands at 25%, Kazim said. <br/>