According to Arab media reports, Dubai plans to become the world’s most visited city by the end of the decade. To achieve this magnanimous feat, the city is digging deep into its pockets to fund numerous projects that are all aimed at attracting more tourism.
Since the early 1960s, London has held the prestigious title of the World’s Most Visited City attracting over 16 million travellers in 2013 alone. In the past decade London has doubled its tourism spending. The runner-up city in the tourism stats was none other than Paris with more than 15 million visitors to the French capital in 2013.
Dubai on the other hand, hosted just 11 million tourists in 2013, which the city now aims to double by the Expo 2020. The Expo 2020 is expected to generate the city upwards of $20 billion in revenue.
The global financial crisis hit Dubai like a hammer with many large-scale projects left in limbo. Realizing its own potential and the fact that a region’s tourism plays a major role in its financial growth, Dubai has made plans to push full-steam ahead.
The city will be home to the Middle East and North Africa’s largest retail and arts colonnade dubbed Mohammad Bin Rashid City. The multi-billion dollar project will also feature a park as well as the biggest swimming pool in the world.
Dubai’s MBR District One will see the construction of a top-notch 350,000 square-meter water park and the Dubai Adventure Studios, which will be home to five recreational theme parks. Plans also include erecting the world’s tallest Ferris wheel titled the ‘The Dubai Eye’ that will be built on Bluewaters Island and cost a staggering $270 million.