Dubai is now a much more attractive destination to the average British holidaymaker, according to Virgin Atlantic.
“We are seeing an increase in hotel rooms and average rates are coming down so suddenly we can offer fantastic packages for prices that people can afford - this opens up massive new markets,” the airline’s sales and marketing director Paul Dickinson told Arabian Travel News in an exclusive interview.
“The perception of Dubai as a value-for-money destination can only grow.”
He said the airline’s sister company, outbound tour operator Virgin Holidays, was already the “biggest producer” for Atlantis on The Palm Jumeirah and that its all-inclusive packages with the new Hilton property in neighbouring emirate Ras Al Khaimah were proving popular.
“The question is, can other hotels in Dubai work on this all-inclusive basis,” stressed Dickinson.
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He hinted that there was no point in offering good flight-and-accommodation packages if once tourist arrived, the price of F&B remained extortionate.
Virgin Atlantic currently operates a daily service between Dubai and London Heathrow.
A double daily service has always been on the cards, but this was unlikely to happen in 2010 or 2011 said Dickinson.
He said that if the decision to up the service was made, it would be “on the back of inbound demand to Dubai”.
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