Dubai's 2023-2024 Cruise Season Sets Sail with Five-Star Customs Services
The 2023-2024 maritime travel season has commenced, with Dubai hosting a notable fleet of cruise ships at Rashid Port and Dubai Harbour. Anticipating around 150 cruise ships, Dubai aims to reaffirm its global tourist destination status. In response to the growing maritime travel, Dubai Customs is providing an extensive range of cutting-edge customs services to enhance the experience of travelers and solidify Dubai's position as a premier destination for maritime travel and tourism.
Dubai Customs has achieved a five-star rating in international best practices for baggage inspection, employing a luggage inspection system for cruise ships. During the previous 2022-2023 tourist season, Dubai Customs managed 1.8 million bags for over a million passengers, exchanging commemorative shields with six cruise ship crews at Rashid Port and four crews at Dubai Harbour.
As the current season unfolds, Dubai Customs participated in the inaugural welcome of the "Resilient Lady" cruise ship from Virgin Voyages, exchanging memorabilia shields with the ship's captain.
H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs, CEO of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, stated: "Dubai Customs aligns its operations with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Our focus is on elevating Dubai's economic standing through the provision of intelligent and advanced customs services for both traders and travelers. This commitment aims to bolster the commercial and tourism sectors, solidifying Dubai's position on the global competitiveness index. The department is fully equipped to manage the surge in travelers during the winter season, as the influx of tourists to Dubai significantly increases, drawn by the captivating atmosphere, events, and diverse activities offered during this season.”
Ibrahim Al Kamali, Director of Passenger Operations Department at Dubai Customs, underscored the department's commitment to elevating service levels for stakeholders. He emphasized the department's dedication to improving service standards for those they interact with. There is a consistent commitment to evolving service centers in accordance with the leadership's visionary directives, with a focus on accelerating processes and enhancing service quality at these centers.
Falah Khalil Al Sammak, senior manager of DXB Terminal 2 at the Passenger Operations Department, highlighted Dubai Customs' persistent efforts to support the tourism sector. The department regularly innovates services contributing to the automation of customs procedures, the acceleration of passenger flow, and the enrichment of their experience when visiting Dubai.