Not recovering: nobody wants to come here anymore – and the destination is empty of people

The tourism industry in Dubai is struggling to recover even months after the war with Iran, during which the airspace in the Gulf was disrupted and a number of drone attacks hit key symbols of the city. Although most of the flights have returned to the international airport, tourists are not returning at the same rate, according to an investigation published by CNN.

“It is a matter of damage to large parts of the tourism sector,” said the credit rating company Moody’s, which estimates that hotel occupancy in Dubai will drop to only 10 percent in the second quarter, a period when tourism in Dubai is supposed to be at its peak, compared to 80 percent on the eve of the war. In the meantime, some Western governments are still advising their citizens to avoid traveling to the United Arab Emirates. Canada recommends avoiding any travel to the country, the US urges its citizens to reconsider the trip and Australia recommends not transiting through countries that include the Emirates.

To encourage tourists to return, the Dubai authorities launched a package of reliefs that includes canceling a tax collected in luxury hotels, canceling a 7 percent city tax in restaurants and deferring various fee payments to locals in the hospitality industry. In addition, the hotels, holiday apartments and guesthouses will be able to postpone tax payments on lodging and food and beverages for three months.

At the same time, the hotel chains are offering promotions that have not been seen since the corona virus. The Ritz Carlton in Jumeirah, for example, offers “one plus one” afternoon tea packages, the Mandarin Oriental offers up to 20 percent off for guests staying two nights or more, and other hotels simply offer unprecedented low base prices.

“The airports, hotels, restaurants and attractions are operating as usual,” said Naim Madad, CEO and founder of Gates Hospitality. “The bigger challenge is psychological. The international headlines influence the behavior of consumers, even if the reality on the ground is completely different.” According to him, the local residents have also reduced expenses, and the pressure is felt on all sides.

Alexander Supinsky, owner of the Dubai-based tourism company TicToc Travel, said there is a big gap between how the situation is presented in the Western media and what is actually happening in the city. He acknowledged the “slowdown” following the war and the closure of the airspace and noted that some workers went on long vacations, but expressed optimism that the industry will fully recover by October, after the great heat is over.

At the same time, tourists from Russia and Lebanon continue to come to Dubai, which is seen in their eyes as a relatively safe destination compared to their place of residence. “Dubai still feels like a much safer place to me than Beirut,” said Fatma Ammar, a resident of Beirut who came to visit her two sons on the Eid al-Adha holiday. “The way the Emirates dealt with the war is very reassuring. Unfortunately, I’m used to war, so something like this won’t stop me.”

Currently, more than 40 airlines operate at Dubai International Airport, albeit in smaller numbers. Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi is also active, although major airlines are still absent from it.