Dubai is celebrating its strongest ever period of growth, with Australia and New Zealand visitor numbers up 16% in the past 12 months.
Driven by a 12% increase in Australian and 4% rise in New Zealand visitors, new figures from the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) show Australia and NZ visitor numbers are up from 190,811 in 2010 to 221,228 in 2011.
Overall visitor numbers are also up 11% on last year’s figures.
DTCM director Australia & New Zealand Julie King attributed the growth to "strong support" from the MICE sector.
"2011 has shown by far our highest growth… [but] we certainly wouldn’t be growing at the rate we are without the support we’ve received from meetings, incentives and conferences," she told The Nibbler. "These results have surpassed our expectations and we look forward to seeing Dubai as a destination [which grows] from strength to strength."
