Tourists expected to pour into Dubai in Eid run-up

One million international tourists, the majority from the Arabian Gulf, are expected to visit Dubai during Ramadan, with retailers forecasting sales to pick up in the run-up to Eid Al Fitr.

A report by The National stated that during the first four months of this year, around 1.3 million tourists visited Dubai, with 587,000 people coming from Saudi Arabia, up by 13%, and 428,000 visitors from Oman, up by 30%, according to Dubai Tourism.

“We have seen positive forward bookings," said Issam Kazim, the chief executive of Dubai Corporation of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.

Retailers are also expecting a growth in sales before Eid, despite concerns of Brexit hitting the retail spending of UK tourists. The UK was Dubai’s third-largest source market after India and Saudi Arabia last year. Nearly 1.2 million visitors from the UK came to Dubai, up by 11% over 2014.

Shopping promotions from the Dubai Shopping Malls Group and deals from retailers are expected to help keep the shops busy.

Sales of gold jewellery, prices of which went up after the Brexit referendum vote, are also expected to pick up.

“The market experiences positive sales, especially during the last 10 days of Ramadan in the run-up to Eid Al Fitr, the time when people buy gifts," said Tawhid Abdullah, the chairman of Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group.

Gold and jewellery sales are expected to increase by 5% this Ramadan compared with the same period last year, he said.