Dubai: Dubai will easily achieve more than 10 per cent annual growth in visitor numbers to meet a target of 15 million tourists in 2015, a top official said.

The emirate had 6.5 million tourists in 2006 compared with 6.1 million in 2005 and needs to grow this number significantly each year to fill up dozens of hotels being built.

"I think 10 per cent growth is very conservative," said Saeed Al Muntafiq, board chairman of Tatweer, a Dubai Holding unit behind some of the emirate's most ambitious hotel and theme park projects.

However, Al Muntafiq said tourist numbers will grow at a higher rate in line with Dubai's ambitious economic growth targets.

He said Tatweer's Dubailand project on Emirates Road will theme parks designed to attract families.

"The Dubai strategy is clearly focused on family tourism. That is the biggest segment for us." he said.

Asked about Dubai's frequent launch of mega tourism projects, he said: "This city is built on surprises so these surprises are not going to stop."

Tatweer recently entered into a franchise agreement with Universal Parks and Resorts, a unit of General Electric's NBC Universal, which owns Universal Studios Hollywood, to develop the Dh8-billion Universal City Dubailand project.

"Our relationship with Universal has cemented the vision of Dubailand. Their recognition of Dubailand as a place where they want to put their most important brand is a validation for the project," he said.

"We have been successful in attracting two world-class brands, Tiger Woods and Universal. The 2010 full opening of Dubailand is on track," the Tatweer chief said.