UAE: UAE Is A Leading Tourism Destination In Middle East

UAE has made its mark in the world as a leading tourism destination.

UAE created airlines, such as Emirates and Etihad Airways, airports, a metro station, shopping malls and other major attractions.

The tourism industry has strengthened greatly, with improving occupancy in Dubai and Abu Dhabi on the back of the expanding network of Etihad Airways and Emirates airline.

According to data by Dubai Chamber, the UAE’s tourism sector is expected to grow by 6.5 per cent annually between 2011 and 2021.

Dubai has risen to become an international tourism destination for leisure and business travellers through the infrastructure developed to cater to these markets.

Dubai is recognised as an entertainment hub, known for its shopping malls, Hotels, Resorts, Parks and various attractions.

Dubai launched Vision 2020, which involves attracting 20 million visitors to Dubai by 2020, from 10 million visitors in 2012, and tripling the annual contribution made by tourism to the city’s economy.

UAE has begun positively on the journey, with a 9.8 per cent increase in visitors during the first nine months of the year, when compared to the same period of last year.

This all having welcomed 7.9 million visitors to Dubai between January and September.

Following the vision, DTCM will focus on positioning and promoting Dubai as a family, event and business destination.

The UAE has become a regional hub for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions, MICE as well as VFR tourism or visiting friends and relatives.

Tourism and Sporting events contribute greatly to strengthening the UAE status on the world circuits as a leading international sport tourism destination like Tennis, Golf, Formula 1, as well as Marathon, Cricket, Rugby, Sailing, and more recently Sky Diving.

Dubai has had several hotel open this year to accommodate the expanding number of visitors, such as The Conrad, Shaikh Zayed Road, The Oberoi Dubai, and Novotel Al Barsha, among others.

DTCM expects around 35 additional hotels.

DTCM announced an initiative to incentivise the hotel industry to develop more 3 and 4 star hotels in Dubai by waiving the 10 per cent municipality fee.

Meanwhile, other emirates, including Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, are trying to establish an identity, according to Jeff Strachan, general manager of insights Management Consultancy.

Abu Dhabi is trying to become a capital city, boasting cultural sites, Strachan said. The emirate will see the opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi in Saadiyat Cultural District.

Zayed National Museum has also attracted several visitors.

The emirate is also trying to position itself as a family destination, with the opening of Yas Waterworld, a waterpark.

In addition, the emirate is ramping up its retail offering, with the opening of The Galleria and the World Trade Centre Mall this year, and Yas Mall in 2014.

Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) has been working over the years on promoting Abu Dhabi as a tourism destination.

We are on-track to achieve our hotel guest target of 2.5 million for 2013 which would represent growth of 10 per cent.

This has been achieved through our efforts to communicate that there is much more to see and do in Abu Dhabi, and our continued efforts to deliver world-class cultural, sporting and entertainment events.

Commenting on milestones achieved this year, Al Dhaheri said TCA Abu Dhabi launched the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, which was established to drive its business tourism ambitions.

The Bureau, working closely with stakeholders, has gone on to secure some major convention wins including next November’s hosting, on Saadiyat Island of the DRV annual congress — the summit of the German travel industry.

DRV is the umbrella association of the world’s largest outbound market for foreign travel.

Another milestone is the establishment of an Industry Development Committee to serve the cruise sector, which Abu Dhabi is hoping to develop. The committee will meet every month to discuss challenges and opportunities in the industry.

India is Abu Dhabi’s largest overseas market, with 121,763 Indians staying at the emirate’s hotels in the first nine months of the year, followed by the UK and Germany.

Northern emirates of Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah are positioning themselves as centres for heritage and culture, while Sharjah is becoming a religious and cultural destination.



Tourism Observer

UAE: Abu Dhabi Hotels Received 1.6m Visitors In Q1 Of 2017

Abu Dhabi welcomed 1.6 million guests in the first four months of this year marking a 7 per cent growth compared to the same period in 2016, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority said on Monday.

In April alone, guest arrivals in the emirate went up by 15 per cent when compared to the same period last year.

Domestic hotel guest numbers in April also grew significantly, numbering 130,000, with each of Abu Dhabi’s three districts — Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra regions — all experiencing an upturn in arrivals.

China has maintained its position as the largest overseas source market with 131,253 hotel guest arrivals in April, followed by India with 104,436 and the UK with 86,529.

The surge from China is due to the recent relaxation of entry visa rules, with Chinese visitors now given visas on arrival at Abu Dhabi International Airport or other points of entry into the UAE.

Efforts to stimulate interest in our destination continue unabated and we are encouraged by our latest hotel guest arrival results which continue to show strong progress.

As we expand our year-round programme of events and develop new cultural and family attractions, we expect even greater traction in enticing more people to explore the emirate, Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director General, TCA Abu Dhabi, said in a statement.

The inaugural Culture Summit in April brought together leaders of the world’s art, media and cultural policy communities from 80 countries, while Abu Dhabi International Book Fair attracted more than 300,000 visitors.

Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque was ranked by travellers as the world’s No. 2 favourite landmark for the second year in a row by travel planning and booking website TripAdvisor, TCA Abu Dhabi said. Last year, the mosque’s total number of visitors reached 5.2 million.

TCA Abu Dhabi-led delegations working alongside with the Authority’s 11 overseas offices, have conducted a series of regional and international roadshows, including visits to Saudi Arabia, China, Germany and South Africa recently.

Further delegations of Abu Dhabi’s tourism proposition, including hotels, travel agents, destination management companies and attractions, will visit the US, India and Europe as the year progresses, according to TCA Abu Dhabi.

Sofitel will open its largest property in the Middle East in 2019, located in Dubai, the company said in a statement on Monday.

In collaboration with development partner MKM Commercial Holdings LLC, the Sofitel Dubai Wafi will feature 501 luxury guestrooms, ranging in size from 55 square meters to 625 square metres.

The property will also contain 97 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom serviced residences to be operated on an extended-stay basis.

UAE: Abu Dhabi Expects Increase In Indian Tourists

Abu Dhabi, the capital and the second most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is expecting more than 20 per cent growth in Indian tourist arrivals this year.

"India has been the number one source market for us globally and we have been witnessing a steady growth in tourists coming to Abu Dhabi from the sub-continent.

"We are already in the last month of 2016, and are confident of seeing over 20 per cent growth this year," Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority Country Manager, India, Bejan Dinshaw said.

Abu Dhabi saw 280,000 Indian tourists checking into hotels in 2015.

With a large number of Indian expats living in Abu Dhabi, the actual number of visitors to the capital city is much more, he said.

The capital of UAE has already witnessed 236,000 Indians staying in hotels and spending an average 3.2 nights till September this year, Dinshaw said.

After India, the other top tourist-generating markets for Abu Dhabi are Britain, China, Germany and France.

Indian are also among the top spenders in Abu Dhabi, he said.

"Indians love shopping and are the leading spenders in Abu Dhabi. To attract shoppers we celebrate 'Summer Season' (from June-September) during Ramzan, where many discounts and other schemes are offered," the official said.

Abu Dhabi, placing itself as an affordable luxurious destination for Indians, is mainly targeting segments like wedding, honeymoons, family, single travellers and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE).

With good connectivity — 250 flights a week connecting 15 Indian cities directly with Abu Dhabi — India will continue to remain a major source of holiday-makers coming to the city, he said.

"For this purpose we are bullish on roadshows and joint marketing promotions (JMPs) with travel companies and local travel agents in tier 1, 2 and 3 cities."

"We aim to make Abu Dhabi the first choice of destination for Indians looking for long weekends and short breaks. And proximity and good connectivity gives Abu Dhabi an edge in this regard," Dinshaw added.