Dubai, flydubai, has released new figures covering the period from February 2011 to March 2012 that highlight the growth in its passenger numbers, particularly from the CIS, Eastern & Central Europe and AGCC markets.

Key figures include:

• 284% annual growth in passenger numbers from the CIS and Central Europe markets between February 2011 and March 2012, compared to the period of February 2010 and March 2011.
• 89% annual growth in passenger numbers from the AGCC between February 2011 and March 2012, compared to the period of February 2010 and March 2011.

Latest figures from Dubai International Airport reveal that passenger traffic between Dubai and Russia in the first quarter of this year increased to 46.53% to 359,066, compared to 245,050 during the same period in 2011. This growth is being attributed to flydubai’s expansion to several cities in Russia and the CIS region which includes twice weekly flights to the Russian cities of Kazan, Ufa, Samara and Yekaterinburg.

The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates that the direct contribution of travel and tourism to the UAE's GDP is expected to hit $19.9bn this year and its set to become increasingly important as a sector in driving the country’s overall economic development.  

Jamal Al Hai, ESVP Communications and Internal Affairs, Dubai Airports said: “The airline industry has a vital role to play in ensuring the UAE continues to experience spectacular growth in the travel and tourism sector. flydubai’s ability to tap into new markets plays an invaluable part in ensuring that we continue to drive forward in this sector and is of benefit to the wider economy by bringing more visitors to the country. Today, flydubai is the second largest carrier, by passenger numbers, operating out of Dubai International Airport and in a very short period of time has become one of the strongest airlines in the region.”

Ghaith Al Ghaith, flydubai’s CEO added: “What these latest figures illustrate is how flydubai is proving to be a pioneering force on a number of levels. Our vision three years ago was to build an unique network that not only offered real value for passengers but that also strategically opened up new markets. The resulting benefits for these destinations and the UAE are clear to see, whether that’s in terms of trade or tourism. As these latest figures prove, this vision is already being realised, but what excites us the most is that we’ve only just begun on our journey. Our potential for further growth is huge and we will continue to target exciting new destinations that we believe are currently under-served."

Source: flydubai