The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said the growing cruise industry will boost tourism relations between Singapore and the UAE. Both countries are building terminals to meet an expected increase in demand. Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing said their new cruise terminal will be ready for business in January 2010. The terminal can hold four ships at once and is expected to increase the number of cruise ship passengers entering the emirate from 260,000 to 380,000 per year.
Singapore has begun work on its International Cruise Terminal which will be completed in 2011 and double the city’s berthing capacity. The cruise industry has continued to grow at a fast pace despite the economic downturn. STB figures show that there was a 20 per cent growth in arrivals during the first half of 2009. The average annual growth rate in passenger throughput was 12 per cent between 2003 and 2008.
