Skift Take
The Cruise Arabia Alliance was formed to promote multi-country holidays in the Gulf region.
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, and Oman have joined forces to promote cruises across all four destinations. The Cruise Arabia Alliance was established at the ITB Berlin travel trade show and aims to encourage multi-country holidays in the Gulf region.
Together, they will market the area as a premier cruise destination and attract more cruise liners to the region.
“This alliance will lead to increased interest from cruise operators to visit Dubai, taking advantage of its strategic location and highlighting the city’s diverse offerings, top-notch infrastructure, and excellent air and sea connectivity,” said Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Tourism.
Saleh Mohammed Al Geziry, director general of culture and tourism in Abu Dhabi, stated: “We are dedicated to promoting cruise tourism through strong partnerships.”
Although Saudi Arabia is not part of the agreement, the country has its own growing cruise sector and has made significant investments in it.
Leading cruise operator MSC already offers packages starting in Dubai and visiting Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, and other emirates. This new agreement aims to further unite tourism officials from each destination.
Unified Travel in the Gulf
In October 2023, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman agreed to establish a ‘GCC zone’ for visas, similar to the Schengen Zone in the EU. This visa initiative was initially discussed in May 2023 at a conference in Dubai, where the ministers from these countries expressed their desire to encourage cross-country travel similar to Europe.
This visa program falls under the “Gulf Strategy for Tourism 2023-2030,” which is currently in development. The meeting also explored the creation of a GCC Tourism Statistics Platform.
The visa program is set to launch either this year or next and has received positive feedback from tourism leaders.
“This new visa program is a major development for GCC tourism, and Ras Al Khaimah will greatly benefit from it,” said Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, at the Skift Global Forum East 2023.
“A collaborative approach is crucial. Competition should be done in collaboration. In this region, we aim for collaboration in areas like visa processing, hotels, and airlines.”
