Dubai Tourism held the Dubai Tourism Roadshow 2024 in Jakarta last week in a bid to boost arrivals from Indonesia and reach its target of 100,000 tourists from the Southeast Asian market in 2024.
A B2B tabletop meeting was held between 10 travel-related companies in Dubai and around 100 international travel companies in Indonesia.
Dubai Tourism held a tabletop meeting during the roadshow (Photo: Tiara Maharani)
Dubai recorded 75,000 arrivals from Indonesia in 2023, up 36 percent from the previous year.
Shahab Shayan, director for Asia Pacific and Turkey at Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET), said the number of tourists from Indonesia has been continuously increasing and Indonesian travellers have been holidaying in Dubai even during the pandemic, indicating that Indonesia has the potential to become one of Dubai’s key sender markets in Southeast Asia.
“Looking forward, Dubai Tourism will continue to collaborate with industry players to further promote Dubai as a preferred tourist destination for Indonesians,” he added.
Christian Sidharta, Dubai Tourism Country Manager for Indonesia, said the roadshow showcased new and upcoming attractions including Museum of the Future, The View of the Palm, Hatta Mountain, AYA Universe and Siro Dubai.
“There is a misconception that traveling to Dubai is boring because there is nothing new there. We want to correct this misconception by educating agents that there is always something new and a variety of products, allowing them to develop new itineraries,” Christian said.
Another key message was that Dubai has more mid-range hotels than luxury hotels, making it a city with something for everyone.
“Dubai has historically been known as an ultra-luxury destination, but it also has the ability to cater for all types of travellers at an affordable price,” Christian said.
Khairul Sofwan, director of Safa Tours and Travels, told TTG Asia that luxury experiences in Dubai are extremely popular among clients who prefer tours in Rolls Royce and helicopters, staying for five days and four nights.
But the challenge for Khairul will be to create itineraries for a repeat luxury clientele looking for more unique experiences and not just the new attractions Dubai has introduced.
