Abu Dhabi targets 5 percent growth in cruise tourism

Abu Dhabi / WAM

Abu Dhabi is targeting a 5 percent growth in cruise tourism over the coming season, with 350,000 passengers set to visit the emirate in 2017-2018, Sultan Al Dhaheri, Acting Executive Director, Tourism Sector, at the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (ADTCA), told Emirates News Agency (WAM).
The UAE capital is on a tourism drive at this week’s World Travel Market (WTM), exhibition in the UK, which opened on Monday in London where Abu Dhabi was named ‘Destination of the Year’ for two times in a row at its 2014 and 2015 editions.
The ADTCA’s high-profile presence at the WTM 2017 represents a promotional push that is expected to contribute a rising numbers of world tourists visiting Abu Dhabi.
“WTM London is an ideal platform to drive forward messages amongst key industry personnel from around the world to experience Abu Dhabi’s extraordinary stories and delve into our rich culture and heritage,” Al Dhaheri told UAE-based reporters on the sidelines of the three-day WTM, now running at ExCeL London, an exhibitions and international convention centre located on the northern quay of the Royal Victoria Dock in London.
The number of hotel guests increased by 7 percent until September 2017 over the same period last year, he added, noting that the authority will target new source markets for 2018 in addition to the six primary key markets of China, India, UK,
Germany, US and the GCC.
“The Russian market is a key source market that we will focus on over the coming period in addition to Asian markets, particularly emerging economies.
“Abu Dhabi welcomed the first Azur Air charter flight from Moscow in October 2017. The flight was performed from Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport by Boeing 737-800 with departure at 13 hours 05 minutes with a 100% passenger load.
“Medical tourism will feature high on top areas of growth over the coming period,” Al Dhaheri said.
The emirate is targeting further increases in the number of guests from the UK by the end of 2018, following a 5 percent increase in the number of British tourists visiting the UAE capital in 2017 to 173,103 as compared to 2016, he went on to say.
The opening of the new Midfield Terminal at Abu Dhabi airport, the inauguration of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, this month, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum are all but expected to contribute to the emirate’s tourism growth, according to him.
Al Dhaheri referred to family-focused programmes that will contribute to a tangible tourism growth over Q4 of the year, including Dar Al Zain festival in Al Ain, New Year’s Eve Countdown Village and the Abu Dhabi Food Festival.
Joining ADTCA at the leading global event, which annually attracts more than 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, is 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.
According to official WTM reports, about 2.8 billion pound (AED14 billion) of global deals are expected to be struck at the premier travel show.