UAE has strengthened its position as the tourism capital of the Gulf offering a range of entertainment, leisure and sports activities. It is not surprising to find the number of visitors travelling to the country constantly on the increase. The government’s emphasis on developing an economy that is not entirely dependent on oil revenues has led to the implementation of several multi-billion dirham projects in the public as well as the private sector in major cities of the country that have led to attract tourists from around the world.   Travel agents in a number of European countries are promoting the UAE as a sunshine destination, specially in the chilling winter months on that continent when the weather in this region is fairly pleasant.   The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has, in its long-term forecast for the UAE travel and tourism sector potentials, said that earnings from inbound visitors would grow by 7.2 per cent annually till 2015.  The report reassessed the impact of new travel and tourism products and resorts being developed in the UAE which are expected to transform the country’s travel and tourism economy. These include mega projects in Dubai such as the Palms, the Waterfront, the Marina, Dubailand and Festival City.   Encompassing all components of travel and tourism consumption, investment, government spending, and earnings from tourists are forecast to have grown 2.1 per cent in real terms and total Dh74.7 billion in 2005. The 10-year (2006-15) annualised growth forecast is now posted at 3.2 per cent per annum.   The spending by inbound international visitors is expected to have totalled Dh6.4 billion in 2005 and over the next decade it is expected to grow by 7.2 per cent to Dh15.8 billion. The ongoing transformation of the tourist industry in the UAE, in particular the spectacular development of hotel infrastructure, is having a direct impact on investment in the sector, and will make the destination able to accommodate a considerably larger number of visitors, the WTTC said, forecasting the number of tourist arrivals to increase to 14 million in 2015.   According to statistics released by Visa International, spending by visitors to the UAE during summer increased by 30 per cent to $342 million in 2005, against 2004. Tourists and business travellers from the UK spent $74 million in the summer months of June, July and August 2005, the largest amount spent by any group. Saudis spent $41 million while visitors from the US were third spending $39 million, followed by Kuwaitis who spent $17 million.   Khalid bin Sulayem, director general of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, has said that developments such as Jumeirah’s Madinat Jumairah resort, Mall of the Emirates, the Palm Islands, Burj Dubai, Dubailand, Dubai Festival City, Dubai International City, and Dubai International Financial Centre attracted summer visitors from Europe and the US. He said that as these projects open, tourism spending in Dubai is expected to increase exponentially. “A number of UK travellers are rating Dubai above destinations like New York for a short break holiday,” he added.   The DTCM has launched the biggest ever and high visibility taxi campaign in London for 12 months which utilises fully liveried cabs transporting passengers through the streets. Nine different holiday themes are being popularised among the UK travellers. They include holidays, hotels, deserts, golfing, beaches, tours and safaris, shopping, water sports, and bird watching.