Dubai stepped up efforts to cement the position of the emirate as the region's cruise hub and attract more cruisers, especially from India and Europe.
The number of Indian tourists to Dubai crossed the 1 million mark for the first time over a 6-month period between January-June 2017, registering a 21% increase over the same period in 2016, according to official figures.
The Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing in Dubai exhibited at Seatrade Europe, which was held in Hamburg under Cruise Arabia banner, bringing together the tourism authorities of Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Dubai.
Dubai emerged as the region's leading cruise destination with more than 625,000 cruisers visiting the city during 2016-2017 season, reflecting an increase of more than 15% when compared to 2015-2016 season.
The UAE extended visas-on-arrival to Indian nationals with valid Green Card or American visa in order to encourage more Indian tourists to visit the emirate.