Desert wonderland rolls out red carpet

With the new visa-on-arrival policy, Dubai hopes to lure more Chinese visitors to stay for a few nights. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Legoland, one of the theme parks, was also unveiled recently with Lego-themed adventures for families such as rides and Lego-building experiences.

Speaking about cruise ship visitors, he says: "Dubai is the cruise hub of the region and a popular winter destination for European ships due to its warm weather.

Dubai also issues special multi-entry visas for cruise passengers," he adds.

Meanwhile, besides the attractions, for many Chinese visitors, it is common to indulge in a shopping spree at Dubai International Airport. And Dubai Duty Free wants to capitalize on this.

As Nic Bruwer, executive vice-president, commercial, of Dubai Duty Free, which operates nearly 34,000 sq meters of retail space at Dubai International Airport, says: "Chinese customers have very high purchasing power. And we're striving to enhance their shopping experiences and strengthen our cooperation with our Chinese partners."

In 2015, DDF's retail sales saw a turnover of about $1.89 billion, making it the top airport retail operation in the world in terms of turnover.

Speaking about the Chinese contribution to DDF's sales figures, Bruwer says that while the number of Chinese passengers accounted for only 4 percent of passenger traffic, they contributed 12 percent of the turnover. Their top purchases were cosmetics, tobacco, perfume, watches and wines and spirits.

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