Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Special Aviation Federation and Business Aviation in the Middle East and North Africa (MEPA), Ali Al-Naqbi, said that Dubai is witnessing a strong demand for private flights during this December, coinciding with the New Year holidays, pointing out that more rich people from different The markets head to the emirate for the holiday season at this time of the year.

Al-Naqbi, who was recently elected to the position of President of the International Council for Private Aviation, added that a large percentage of reservations on private flights to Dubai come from countries in the region, as well as the markets of Europe, Asia and Africa, noting that this increase during December will contribute to raising sales Private aviation in the local market increased by about 9% this year as a whole compared to last year.

Unique tourist activities

Al-Naqbi told «Emirates Today» that Dubai embraces, in addition to the middle hotels, many luxury tourist facilities that attract visitors who want to spend high-end vacations, and choose unique tourism activities in light of the diverse experiences provided by the tourism facilities in them, pointing out that the moderate weather during these The period of the year compared to other tourist destinations makes Dubai a prominent choice for many, especially in Europe.

He stated that Dubai is one of the most prominent and well-known tourist destinations for the New Year celebrations, which annually attracts millions of visitors from different classes to learn about the emirate’s tourist attractions and vacationing there, indicating that hotel establishments record full occupancy rates during this occasion.

Cost

And that the cost of private flights varies according to the type of the plane, the time of the flight and others, but the size and number of passengers remains the most prominent factor, and the cost is usually calculated per hour, and where it can reach about 25 thousand dollars for some planes for one hour to reduce the amount gradually as the plane is smaller In size.

Al Naqbi explained that the number of private aircraft registered in the UAE market currently reaches 154, operating in the field of business and private aviation, which constitutes 25% of the total number of aircraft in the Middle East region, which is estimated at 600 aircraft.

Peak period

It is noteworthy that the attention of the world is turning during the Christmas and New Year period to the Emirate of Dubai, which has come to the forefront of the list of the most popular international tourist destinations for visitors coming from abroad, as the emirate turns annually during the holidays of these holidays into a destination and destination for millions of visitors, especially in light of the major events Dubai is witnessing various regions.

The forecasts issued by the tourism establishments and airlines in the emirate indicate that five million passengers are greeted during the peak period of the New Year's holidays, based on the high demand for travel to and fro Dubai, and the high hotel occupancy rates to the highest level.

Dubai excels in spending international tourists
Dubai ranked in the list of the largest tourist destinations in the world in terms of spending international tourists, recording more than 27.9 billion dollars (about 102.6 billion dirhams) during the past year, surpassing New York, London, Tokyo, Bangkok, Singapore and Miami, according to the annual report issued by the World Travel and Tourism Council.

The emirate received 13.5 million international visitors during the first 10 months of this year, equivalent to 1.35 million visitors per month, compared to 12.88 million visitors in the same period last year, with a growth rate of 4.81%, while the number of hotel rooms increased by the end of October 2019 to reach 122 thousand and 185 rooms.

Dubai, according to the latest data issued by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, hosts 122 luxury five-star hotel facilities, comprising 41.5 thousand rooms.