At the 20th Irish Travel Trade Awards, presented at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin on 25th November 2011, Irish travel agents throughout the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland voted Dubai as the Best Middle East / Africa Destination for the sixth year in a row.
Ingrid Aagesen, Senior Manager of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing’s UK & Ireland office, was present to receive the award and told Irish Travel Trade News that Dubai had attracted 34,521 Irish visitors in 2010.
There are great expectations for Irish visitor numbers in 2012 – boosted by the new direct Emirates daily flights from Dublin and the new ex-Dubai cruises that are expected to generate additional traffic from Ireland, with many visitors opting for pre- or post-cruise (or both) stopovers in Dubai.