Dubai: The UAE will need to continue opening intellectual property—led attractions to compete with leading theme park destinations globally, according to an industry expert.
Dubai would have to have “a Disneyland or something similar” if it wants to overtake the likes of Orlando, Phil Taylor, managing director of Team Leisure, said on the sidelines of The Hotel Show in Dubai on Sunday.
The UAE’s theme park market will also benefit from the growing middle class of its international source markets such as India and China, who have the resources to travel, he added.
The UAE is positioning itself as a regional entertainment hub to attract more tourism. IMG Worlds of Adventure opened last month in Dubai, and more theme parks are set to open in the country, including Dubai Parks and Resorts, Dubai’s Six Flags and Warner Bros in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE’s visits to outdoor attraction per year stand at 10 million today, according to Taylor, but that is expected to reach over 30 million by 2020, as more theme parks open.
