DUBAI - Dubai's new cruise terminal was formally opened on Tuesday and top government officials said it will help boost the economy of the emirate which expects a 24 per cent rise in cruise tourists this year. They said Dubai will host 120 ships with more than 325,000 passengers this year, compared with 87 cruise ships that brought 261,000 tourists to the emirate in 2009.

During the course of the festivities marking the launch of one of the Middle East's biggest cruise terminal facilities, the naming ceremony for a passenger cruise ship - Costa Deliziosa - took place, making Dubai the first Arab city to host such a ceremony.The new terminal was opened by the Dubai Crown Prince, Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in the presence of Chairman of Dubai Airports and Emirates Airlines Group, Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO of Costa Crociere, Pier Luigi Foschi, and Italian ambassador to the UAE, Paolo Dionisi.

Despite economic down turn the emirate continues to attract high number of tourists and record high occupancy in hotels. This landmark development clearly reflects the growth potential of cruise tourism in the emirate and also the global interest in Dubai's tourism facilities.