Legoland, the latest theme park addition to Dubailand, is expected to draw 2.5 million visitors to the park each year, helping Dubai reach its 15 million tourist mark before the 2015 target.

Mohammed Al Habbai, chief executive officer of Dubailand, said the Dh1 billion attraction will begin construction next year and will be open to the residents and tourists by 2011.

"We're going to Germany in two weeks time to finalise the detailed design for Legoland. The project is expected to bring in 2.5 million tourists per year; that is our target for it," Al Habbai told Emirates Business.

In comparison, Universal Studios Dubailand has a yearly target of 4-5 million tourists to the park, while other projects have a two million visitor target, Al Habbai said. Global Village last year attracted 3.2 million visitors within a temporary 45-day period.

"It's hard to say how many visitors we'd like to see each year [to meet the 2015 target]. But Dubailand will play a major role in attracting 15 million tourists, and it will also play a major role to attract 120 million passengers passing through Al Maktoum Airport at Jebel Ali. We are expecting to achieve 15 million tourist target before 2015," he added. The theme park will be built over four million square foot and is targeted at two-to-12-year olds.

The Legoland brand is already well-known in North America and Europe. Legoland Dubailand, which will be managed and operated by the world's second largest visitor attraction group Merlin Entertainment, will be the brand's first venture outside of North America and Europe.

Al Habbai also said plans for Dubailand's Western City are still on the cards and the project is expected to open by the end of 2010.

"We saw the detailed designs last week and we're expecting the finalised concept to be submitted in two month's time. Construction would start before the end of this year."

The Dh2.29bn project was announced in 2006, however no details or updates have been announced since.

According to Al Habbai, plans to open the first phase of Dubailand are still on track for 2010 despite rumours of delays.

"Universal Studios is expected to open by the end of 2010, we are already on track on that. It's going to be the first Tatweer-owned theme park to open," he said.

Prior to that, the project will open the Tiger Woods Golf Course next September, the Formula One theme park in Motor City next year, and the Manchester United Academy in Dubai Sports City by October this year.

The Six Flags theme park will open in 2011, Dreamworks and Marvel in 2012, while Freej will open in 2013.

Al Habbai also said Dubailand is not currently looking for more funding for the Dh235 billion mega-project.

Dubailand is so far made up of 24 projects being developed by third party developers, plus Tatweer-owned attractions such as Global Village, Universal Studios, Dreamworks, Six Flags and Legoland. He did not reveal whether Dubailand was looking at introducing more Western brands.

"As of now there are no plans and Legoland is the latest brand for us."

Dubailand is expected to boost the contribution of the tourism sector to the emirate's gross domestic product from its current 19 per cent to 35 per cent by 2015.

"As of today we expect an average daily spend of between $40 and $45 per person, excluding air tickets and hotel. By 2015 we are targeting to achieve $240 average spend per person," the Dubailand CEO said.

The numbers

2011: The year in which Legoland will be opened for public

15m: The number of visitors expected in Dubai by 2015