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Abu Dhabi / Emirates Business
Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) is attending Saudi Arabia’s largest travel trade event in Riyadh ahead of a promotional tour to boost inbound visitor numbers, in a move to strengthen existing cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
TCA Abu Dhabi, which is a strategic partner of the Riyadh Travel Fair, is being joined by Etihad Airways – the UAE’s national airline – along with hotels and tour operators at the annual event running from April, 7-10. The four-day event will have more than 250 exhibitors representing 50 countries and is expected to welcome more than 30,000 visitors.
Following the trade fair, the delegation will embark on a roadshow showcasing the emirate’s diverse destinations and attractions which will take in Riyadh and also Jeddah and Al Khobar. In 2016 our guest arrivals increased by 9% on the previous year to 146,747, making Saudi Arabia our sixth largest international source market. These guests provided 350,572 guest nights, which was an increase of 13% over 2015 and they also stayed in the emirate for longer.
There are currently 113 flights a week between various cities in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi providing excellent air connectivity for business visitors and tourists. Etihad Airways operates 70 flights from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah to Abu Dhabi with Saudi Airlines and Nas Air providing a further 43 flights a week.
Stakeholders joining TCA Abu Dhabi include City Seasons Al Hamra Hotel, Nirvana Travel & Tourism, Anantara Hotels & Resorts, Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi, Dusit Thani, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Four Seasons and Celebrity Cruises.
Last year, the Riyadh Travel Fair featured 246 exhibitors with visitor attendance at 25,724. That was an increase of 30% compared to the 2016 edition. This year will continue our year-on-year growth as exhibitors hit over 250 and expected visitor numbers over 30,000.
Year after year, we have seen consistent growth in the number of participants, exhibitors and attendees. With Saudi nationals increasingly travelling both domestically and overseas, the opportunities that the Riyadh Travel Fair provides for domestic and overseas destinations, hospitality service providers and other tourism related businesses, to directly meet with the kingdom’s leading travel professionals and travellers have never been more significant.
Earlier this year, TCA Abu Dhabi participated in the 31st Al Janadriyah Festival for Heritage & Culture in Riyadh to highlight the deep cultural and historical ties between the UAE and Saudi Arabia and to help build awareness of the emirate’s attractions for Saudi visitors.