August 3, 2017. United Arab Emirates:  As part of the Dubai Maritime City Authority’s (DMCA) efforts to promote Dubai’s marine and leisure tourism, the RASEINA Maritime Domestic & Leisure Working Group (one of DMCA initiatives) held a workshop for its members on Wednesday, August 2, 2017, at The Address Dubai Marina Hotel. The attendees tackled DMCA’s services to promote local marine and leisure tourism, including yacht registration, and discussed current and potential locations for marine entertainment activities. They also looked into the implementation of best practices to address current and future challenges facing Dubai’s marine and leisure tourism sector. 

Amer Ali, Executive Director of DMCA, said: “We are constantly developing and regulating Dubai’s maritime sector in line with globally recognized standards. We are particularly committed to showcasing the role of the local marine and leisure tourism sector in boosting Dubai's reputation as a global tourist destination. The workshop aimed to discuss industry-related issues and highlight the services provided by DMCA, while exploring all aspects of marine and leisure activities and improving offered services to address challenges and overcome obstacles.”

Promoting Dubai’s marine and leisure tourism sector will enhance the emirate’s global competitiveness, added Ali. The RASEINA Maritime Domestic & Leisure Working Group represents an effective public-private partnership, efficiently supporting nationwide efforts to develop, organize, and enhance the local maritime sector in accordance with international best practices.
In his opening address, Khalid Meftah, DMCA’s Business Development Manager, said the workshop highlighted the role of marine and leisure tourism in boosting Dubai’s bid to become one of the world's leading maritime hubs. According to Meftah, the DMCA is crucial to ongoing initiatives aimed at developing effective mechanisms, implementing best practices, achieving desired results, and increasing Dubai’s global maritime competitiveness.

During the first part of the workshop, members of the RASEINA Maritime Domestic & Leisure Working Group assessed the existing yacht registration services in conjunction with the latest developments in Dubai’s registration and licensing mechanisms. To ensure customer satisfaction, the DMCA presently provides an integrated platform to complete marine registration and licensing procedures in record time. 

The second part of the workshop saw the participants joining an open panel discussion. They studied the status of current and future leisure sites in Dubai, as well as discussed ways to develop these locations, increase their competitiveness, and organize more exciting recreational maritime activities and services. They also looked for various means to apply best practices that will further fortify the marine and leisure tourism industry and make it more resilient to challenges.

The Dubai Maritime City Authority formed the RASEINA Maritime Domestic & Leisure Working Group to promote Dubai’s marine tourist attractions and enhance its marine and leisure sector. The Group plays a significant role in ongoing efforts to make Dubai one of the world’s leading maritime hubs in line with the objectives of the Maritime Sector Strategy. As such, quality programs and innovative initiatives are being implemented to upgrade the local maritime community’s services.