“My grandfather drove a camel, my father drove a camel, I drive a Mercedes, my son will drive a Rolls Royce (in some versions it is a Land Rover), his son will also drive a Rolls Royce (ditto), but his son son will return to ride a camel ”. These are words attributed to Rashid bin Said Al-Maktoum, first emir of independent Dubai. It was the long-term vision of oil, discovered in this area in 1966 and begun to be mined in 1969. One day, the emir thought, the black gold would run out and for this you had to find another.
Even then Dubai could count on far fewer reserves than, for example, Abu Dhabi and the Emir’s vision was far-sighted. Thus, he transformed what was a small center of the Pirate Coast, as the United Arab Emirates was called before freeing itself from the British, who controlled them since 1820 (and before them the Dutch and Portuguese), a coast that lived on piracy and fishing. of pearls before the oil hangover, in a large urban center of global importance. A real urban and economic revolution, to which further visions were added, such as that of 2016 called Vision 2030, to continue in the eco-social diversification as well as to raise the quality of local life.
The new black gold
Skyscrapers, real estate market, construction. The urban explosion created jobs and was also the kingdom’s way, with public investment, to redistribute wealth derived from oil. Black gold which, more recently, with the fluctuations in the price of the barrel, forced the Emirates – united since 1971, therefore 50 years ago, the golden jubilee was celebrated on 2 December last; in 1971 the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company was also founded, the state oil company – not only to issue bonds for long-term loans, but to face tensions and price wars in international markets. And to invest in the research and development of new energy sources, which are more sustainable.
Returning to Dubai, the diversification of the economy has opened the emirate to the world. Finance, services, trade and, of course, tourism. The first international airport Emir Rashid had it built in 1959, today there are two airports and the main one, Dubai International Airport, is the largest hub in the Middle East and one of the busiest airports in the globe.
Again, the vision was far-sighted. In 2019 Dubai had welcomed 16 million visitors and expected 20 million for 2020, the year in which the Expo should have started and then postponed to 1 October (until 31 March 2022). Covid, of course, has messed up the cards. The Emirates reacted by starting one of the most powerful vaccination campaigns in the world, after that of Israel, closing and then reopening to external visitors, first creating Covid-free corridors and then reopening tourism, obviously controlled from the point of view of anti-pandemic prevention . The swab test reigns supreme, the mask is mandatory everywhere.
The opening to cruises
A new black gold, tourism. And in this sense, the opening of the emirate to cruises should also be read, which fall with their passengers in the high mainstream tourism target pursued by Dubai. A mutual interest, because the target is also the one that the large cruise lines aim for. And cruises that in this phase of recovery from the Covid stop are one of the driving elements, thanks to the health protocols adopted on the ships and to the “bubble” that also extends during the shore excursions of passengers.
This is the reason for a new terminal dedicated to white ships, the Dubai Harbor Cruise Terminal, which is added to that of Port Rashid, next to the artificial island of Palm Jumeirah and the Dubai Marina. This is the reason for the partnership with Carnival Corp., which has exclusive use of the facility for all the ships of its group. And who inaugurated it in recent days with Costa Firenze and AidaBella.
“In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the most sought-after destination, the city continues to evolve and build on its diverse tourism proposal , also further strengthening its appeal as a global hub for business and an attractive place to live and work, ”begins Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing. “Maritime tourism and the cruise industry make a vital contribution to the city’s tourism economy, and with Dubai now having the capacity to host nine mega cruise ships at any one time, we expect the cruise industry to continue to grow exponentially “.
Over 500 thousand passengers
Just to translate these words into figures, Dubai expects to welcome 126 ships for over 500,000 passengers during this 2021/22 season, which began last October. And, of course, the new Dubai Harbor is one of the main pieces of this awaited and at the same time vision. “The development of Dubai Harbor represents a historic milestone in Dubai’s role as this region’s premier destination for lifestyle, leisure and luxury. A moment in history that anticipates Dubai’s ambition to become the most visited city in the world ”, confirms Abdulla Binhabtoor, chief portfolio management officer of Shamal Holding, the private company that built the new airport.
The new quay
The Dubai Harbor Cruise Terminal covers an area of over 120,000 square meters and includes two terminals dedicated to cruise ships, located on a 910-meter-long quay, which can accommodate two large ships at the same time (for the inauguration, 323 Costa Firenze and 252 meters in length for the AidaBella) and can handle 3,250 passengers per hour. It was built in record time: set in January 2018, it was delivered in October 2020.
There is no shortage of spaces. Outside there are large parking spaces for taxis, shuttles and tourist buses. Inside, on two floors, reception and passenger reception rooms, even an Emirates check-in desk, garage, shop. “Passengers boarding – points out Dina Jreissati, the new marketing director of Dubai Harbor – takes place on the same level as the ship’s entrance deck, avoiding unnecessary ups and downs”.
The mutual interest, it was said, between Dubai and cruises. “As the largest cruise company in the world, our passion is to provide our guests with extraordinary vacation experiences and we are confident that our partnership with Shamal Holding will improve our guests’ overall experience,” confirms Michael Tamm, CEO of Costa Group and Carnival Asia for Carnival Corporation, discussing the partnership with Dubai Harbor Cruise Terminal and its partners to make “Dubai Harbor a highly efficient and customer-friendly operation, while facilitating new tourism opportunities through cruising in the region” .