DUBAI -- Authorities here are hoping to welcome tourists back to the city at the beginning of July, after banning arrivals last month to combat the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The UAE has temporarily banned visas on arrival for all nationalities and banned its citizens from traveling outside the country. Emirates and other Gulf airlines have begun to offer some flights out of the UAE for those looking to return home, but incoming flights are still unavailable except for government-organized repatriations. The reopening of the emirate to tourists will be a gradual process that could be delayed until September, depending on global trends, Helal Al-Marri, director general of Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Tuesday. "Many countries remain closed and it's more about the bilateral discussions," Al-Marri said. "Is it going to be July when things start slowly opening up? Is it going to be September? We just need to make sure we're ready if things come earlier than expected." The emirate announced last week that it would ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions. The 24-hour National Sterilization Program was shortened and individuals across Dubai are now allowed to leave their homes between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. without a permit. Tourism is an important industry for Dubai, with official estimates showing it received a record 16.73 million visitors in 2019. India, Saudi Arabia, and the UK are the emirate's most important markets, while China is rapidly climbing the ranks. Arrivals have been driven down "to zero," because of the coronavirus pandemic, Al-Marri said. The industry will see a bounce back though, with a focus on "health and hygiene," he added. In light of this change, some hotels may begin charging higher fees, he added. Al-Marri concluded by explaining it is not up to government authorities to restrict hotel construction, even as the industry faces an oversupply of rooms. "In Dubai, interacting with the sector, they are not interested at all in the government controlling either supply or pricing of hotel rooms," he said. "Investors in the hotels definitely have the expertise and the experience to make their own decisions." Till Monday, the UAE has reported 10,839 infections of coronavirus, with 82 dead. There have been over 2,000 recoveries so far. -- Al Arabiya English
