The countdown begins: it’s two days until Dubai officially reopens to tourists.

Over the weekend, ahead of borders reopening to tourists, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) hosted a virtual forum showcasing the plans in place preparing the emirate to welcome visitors once again.

Throughout the forum, the impact of COVID-19 on the travel industry was discussed with key stakeholders and authorities, as well as what the future trends hold for the industry in order to encourage tourists to make Dubai a key destination.

As would be expected, health and safety concerns were also at the forefront of the conversation.

“Now, as we get nearer to reopening the city to tourists, we are encouraged by the success of the strong procedures deployed across sectors that have reinforced Dubai’s commitment to the health and safety of visitors when they start arriving from 7 July, a development that will be a turning point in the tourism sector’s road to recovery,” Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, explained.

In conjunction with health and safety in the emirate, Dubai was officially recognised as a ‘Safe Destination’ by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) on July 3. As well as this, the UAE as a whole as ranked third on a global scale with its scale of testing per million of the nation’s population.

With Emirates now running regularly scheduled flights to over 50 destinations, along with other local and international carriers, Almarri praised the “significant efforts” of Dubai in order to be able to reopen to tourists.

“The effective management of COVID-19, our three-phase programme to revive the sector and the citywide reopening of tourism facilities including hotels and airports, as well as the resumption of flights by our leading carriers are a testament to the significant efforts made to welcome tourists back to Dubai,” he said during the forum.

With hotels and restaurants having reopened, shopping malls now running at full capacity, it’s safe to say Dubai is ready for tourists. Not only that live entertainment is now allowed in hotels, spas are also open and major water parks have reopened, which is perfect timing for summer. In addition, Dubai Summer Surprises begins on July 9, meaning plenty of deals will be on for entertainment, events and shopping.

Just ensure you follow all the precautionary measures in place whether you’re a visitor or a resident.

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Feature Image: Visit Dubai Instagram