Dubai Airport’s goal for next year is 56 million passengers: CEO

Dubai’s national airport operator predicts 56 million passengers will pass Dubai Next year, although the international level is still lower than the level before the pandemic, it will still double this year’s target.

After the start of the summer tourist season and the relaxation of travel restrictions in some core markets, the airport, as a major tourist hub, has seen an increase in passenger traffic in recent weeks.

Paul Griffith, chief executive of Dubai Airports, told Reuters: “This has produced a more optimistic forecast, and we expect it to reach 56 million in the next year.”

The airport received 25.9 million passengers last year, and the year before the pandemic broke out, it received 86.4 million passengers in 2019.

The operator reported on Wednesday that the number of passengers passing through Dubai International reached 10.6 million in the first half of this year, a decrease of 40.9% from the same period last year.

Griffith said that passenger traffic in recent weeks has been “more positive” and now expects the airport to be close to its 28 million passengers by the end of the year, which is approximately 2.6-27 million passengers.

He said that given that many countries still impose travel restrictions, operators are conservative in their forecasts for this year and focus on managing costs, balancing budgets and maintaining positive cash flow.

Dubai International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world and a hub for the state-owned Gulf Air EmiratesIts operations rely on international flights and there is no domestic market to cushion the closure of international borders or restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This United Arab Emirates This month, the travel restrictions on several African and Asian countries, including India, the main market, have been relaxed. Another important market, the United Kingdom, has moved the travel “red list” of this Gulf Arab country to “amber”.

“For example, there is an absolute surge in bookings, and there are a large number of people booking flights to and from London, I think UAE Relaxing restrictions on places like India is a step in the right direction,” Griffith said.