Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director General of the Residency and Foreigners Affairs Department in Dubai, told Gulf News in an exclusive interview that tourism in Dubai and the UAE is thriving.

"Tourists are still flooding the emirate and the number of tourist visas issued is increasing. In January, the demand for tourist visas and visas issued on arrival was on the rise. We issued 411,774 tourist visas compared to 406,935 during the same period last year," Major General Al Merri said.

"I can tell you that the tourism sector is peaking."