Dubai aiming to become world's most visited city

One year into the delivery of Dubai’s Tourism Vision for 2020, significant first steps have been taken to achieve the target of attracting 20 million annual visitors by 2020, leading the emirate’s tourism authority to state a new ambition: for Dubai to become the world’s most-visited city.
If a growth rate similar to that achieved in 2013 is maintained — a 10.6 per cent year-on-year increase equating to 11 million hotel guests — Dubai will achieve its Tourism Vision targets and with London currently holding the title of world’s most-visited city (16 million tourists in 2013), the emirate is using its participation in the 2014 edition of the Arabian Travel Market to outline why the number one ranking is an ambitious, but realistic, goal.
Having announced the Tourism Vision for 2020 at last year’s edition of the ATM, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, or DTCM, will discuss the achievements made over the last 12 months based on the collective commitment from industry stakeholders to sector growth and development; demonstrate the continual enhancements and evolution of the city’s destination offering; and preview a new marketing blueprint designed to further raise the emirate’s international profile.
Speaking ahead of the ATM, Helal Saeed Almarri, director-general of the DTCM, said: “Since His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the Tourism Vision for 2020 at last year’s ATM, the UAE has won the right to host Expo 2020 in Dubai. The first phase of our second international airport has opened at Dubai World Central and a substantial number of new hotels, attractions and events have opened, taken place or been announced. Further, in addition to UAE federal pre-entry visa regulations on European Union member states being lifted, major legislative changes have been made which will directly and positively impact the tourism sector and enable us to attract more business and leisure travellers.”