About 500,000 cruise visitors arrived in the UAE capital in 2019, a 46 percent year-on-year increase DUBAI: Abu Dhabi said it will resume receiving cruise liners in the emirate from Sept. 1, after the industry faced a global shutdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi) said it would work with Abu Dhabi Ports to regain the momentum it achieved before the pandemic – about 500,000 cruise visitors arrived in the UAE capital in 2019, a 46 percent year-on-year increase. “This comes as part of the efforts to enliven the emirate’s tourism sector after the impressive results we have achieved in combating the spread of the pandemic, and yet another step towards strengthening the UAE capital’s position as a world-class hub for maritime tourism,” Ali Al-Shaiba, the executive director of DCT Abu Dhabi. A series of initiatives throughout the year will be implemented to ensure a smooth return of the business, the department said, including joining international events to promote Abu Dhabi to global cruisers.