Tourism accounts for around 18 percent of Dubai's direct gross domestic product (GDP) and 29 percent of its indirect GDP, the Gulf News reported on Wednesday.

The growth of tourism in Dubai comes as a result of tremendous efforts exerted by the government of Dubai to activate tourism, said Mohammad Khamis Bin Hareb, director of operations and marketing at the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.

He said that the number of tourists who visited Dubai in 2006 reached more than 6 million, adding that the figure does not include transit visitors.

Dubai recorded 82 percent hotel occupancy in 2006, coming third in the world behind London and New York, he said.

He estimated that 20,000 hotel rooms will be added to the present 30,000 rooms by 2010 and more hotels opened in the next few years to meet the strong demand.

Source: Xinhua