Pitching Dubai
Beginning in December this year, commercials about Dubai are appearing more frequently in Korea on Korean TV channels and Korea portals. Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) opened its first office in Korea in November, and has just launched its first brand campaigns.
On Nov. 10, Dubai Tourism cerebrated and officially announced its launch of its Seoul office at a guest house in the Shilla Hotel. Major travel agencies and media partners were invited. Being the 21st overseas office, Dubai Tourism in Korea aims in general to broaden its global market, and in particular to bring in 2000 million people until the year 2020, with a 10 percent increase, annually.
Established with the goal of making Dubai the hub of global businesses and tourism, Dubai Tourism is responsible for raising the international awareness of Dubai and attracting tourists from all over the world. Dubai Tourism also oversees the planning, management and licensing of all kinds of travel-related services, including hotels and booking with travel agencies. Brands and departments within the company’s portfolio include Dubai Convention and Events Bureau, Dubai Calendar, and Dubai Festivals and Retails.
During the opening ceremony, Issam Kazim also made a reference to the significance of the launch of the Seoul Office by saying, “Dubai currently ranks as the fifth largest tourist city in the world, bringing in about 1.1 billion tourists annually. Given the diplomatic and cultural influential status of Korea in Asia, Dubai Tourism is expecting that the launch of its new office in Korea will serve to realize the vision of Dubai Tourism’s goal of attracting 2000 until 2020.” He added, “Considering versatile features associated with the city including shopping, an array of sports, and amenities for family activities, I can assure Korean travelers satisfactory travel beyond generic expectations.”
Ryu Young-mi, the country manager for Dubai Tourism, said, “For anyone who would have been already exposed to Dubai’s charm, the city would represent the most attractive tourist destination. Unlike the popular misconception there exist only luxury and expensive travel packages for Dubai trips, there are many diverse themed packages with different price ranges. Compared to trips to America or Europe, the relatively short flight time can render a trip to Dubai far more attractive for Korean travelers. I will do my best to inform Koreans about the variety of benefits and attractions of Dubai.”
About Dubai as Popular Tourist Destination
Dubai is like nowhere else on the planet. Often claimed to be the world’s fastest-growing city, over the past four decades it has metamorphosed from a small Gulf trading center to become one of the world’s most glamorous, spectacular and futuristic urban destinations.
Perhaps not surprisingly though, the city is often stereotyped as a vacuous consumerist fleshpot, appealing only to those with more cash than culture. However, this one-eyed cliché does absolutely no justice to Dubai’s beguiling contrasts and rich cultural make-up.
If you want to step beyond the tourist clichés and the city’s headline-grabbing mega-projects, however, you’ll find that Dubai has much more to offer than you might think, ranging from the fascinating old city center, with bustling souks interspersed with old traditional Arabian houses, to modern architectural skylines of the southern parts of the city. Dubai is also known for its role in providing the Islamic world with a model of political stability and religious tolerance, showing what can be achieved by a peaceful and progressive regime in one of the planet’s most troubled regions.
For these reasons, Dubai has received international acclaims on numerous occasions. The New York Times listed Dubai as one of 52 places to visit in 2014. Real estate consulting firm Jones Lang LaSalle selected Dubai one of the world's 3 most vibrant cities. According to the Mastercard Global Destination City Index, Dubai was ranked the 5th most visited city. Dubai was also chosen as one of the top most favored travel destinations among wealthy Chinese. Forbes also chose Dubai as the most influential city. And, according to an HP survey conducted by www.hotel.com, Dubai proved to be the most popular vacation place for Indians.