ABU DHABI TOURISM & CULTURE AUTHORITY TO PROMOTE NEW DESTINATION CAMPAIGN AT WORLD TRAVEL MARKET LONDON
UK IS THE LARGEST EUROPEAN SOURCE MARKET FOR HOTEL GUESTS IN ABU DHABI
5 November 2016 – Abu Dhabi, UAE:Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) is spearheading a delegation to World Travel Market (WTM) in London, UK from 7th to 9thNovember to promote the emirate as a destination of distinction in conjunction with a new global destination campaignwhich was launched last week.
Joining the Authority at the leading global event for the travel industry, that annually attracts more than 50,000 senior travel industry professionals,will be a range of the emirate’s leading hotels, resorts, attractions, tour operators and destination management companies, along with the UAE’s national airline Etihad Airways.
His Excellency Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director General, TCA Abu Dhabi, said: “WTM London is a perfect platform to drive forward the messages from our new destination campaign amongst key industry personnel from around the world which is encouraging travellers to experience Abu Dhabi’s ‘extraordinary stories’ and delve into our rich culture and heritage.
“Last year the UK was the highest contributor of hotel guests into the emirate from the European market and the third highest globally. We have seen UK visitor arrivals jump three per cent already this year from the 231,337 who checked into one of our 166 hotels and hotel apartments in 2015 which shows just how important the UK market is to us. In 2015 our British visitors’ generated more than 950,000 guest nights, which we will strive to improve upon as we progress to becoming a year-round destination. For the past three years the UK has recorded a double-digit growth percentage.”
The new destination campaign features 40 locations around the emirate and comprisestwo distinct television commercial running across TV networks, digital channels and in-flight entertainment systems and five promotional videos. The campaign, launched on November 1, targets Abu Dhabi’s core markets of the UAE, GCC, UK, Germany, India, China and the USA.
More UK visitors are now expected to travel to Abu Dhabi as part of a cruise, due to the opening late last year of the new state-of-the-art Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, which has paved the way for the homeporting of ships from MSC Cruises and Celebrity Cruises, both of which are offering excursions from Abu Dhabi this winter. Next month Abu Dhabi also sees the opening of Sir Bani Yas Island as a secondary cruise stop in the emirate to allow guests to immerse themselves in the natural beauty and wildlife attractions of the island.
The Abu Dhabi Pavilion can be found in Hall 3S, stand number ME300, at the ExCel venue in London and will host 40 co-exhibitors representing 81 companies and five corporate corners, comprising Yas Island, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways, Culture Area and Digital Corner.
New attractions to further boost tourism figures include the opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island which will house 600 pieces of art in 23 state-of-the-art galleries under an impressive 180-metre wide dome. The permanent collection will be complemented by around 300 masterpieces on loan from French institutions including works by Da Vinci, Monet, Van Gough and Matisse.
Set to open on Yas Island in 2018 is Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, which will become home to scores of children’s favourite cartoon characters including Bugs Bunny, Batman, Scooby Doo, and Tom and Jerry along with a multitude of rides, a multiplex cinema and the world’s first Warner Bros. hotel.
Joining the Abu Dhabi delegation will be representatives of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which is currently ranked the world’s second favourite landmark in a list compiled by the world’s largest travel site TripAdvisor.
The Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Residences, set to open soon, is a contemporary urban luxury hotel and events venue set in a prime West Corniche location, near the Presidential Palace on Abu Dhabi island.The hotel will open with 428 rooms, including 324 spacious king and twin rooms, eight Penthouses, 36 luxury suites including a Presidential and Royal Suite and 60 full-service one and two-bedroom apartments.
On-stand interactive zones at the pavilion will help visitorsvisualise Abu Dhabi's attractions and create their own 'extraordinary story' on an interactive surface table where a tailor-made itinerary will be used to build a unique video of the proposed trip. Visitors can also win holidays to the emirate by taking part in short question and answer competitions.
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