Abu Dhabi Shines as a Premium Tourism Destination at World Travel Market 2019

Abu Dhabi, Thursday 7 November: The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has opened its World Travel Market (WTM) participation in London with the unveiling of a dynamic exhibit that showcases Abu Dhabi’s best offerings to visitors.

The show saw a hive of activity take place on the DCT Abu Dhabi stand, including a visit from His Excellency Mansoor Abulhoul, UAE Ambassador to the United Kingdom, as well as numerous stakeholder meetings occurring throughout the day. In the evening, DCT Abu Dhabi representatives and a number of stakeholders attended the inaugural UAE Ambassadors dinner at the Bulgari Hotel London, to forge closer relationships amongst the emirates. The annual DCT Abu Dhabi on-stand breakfast was also held on Tuesday morning, with many trade and media representatives in attendance.

The exhibition involves 36 of DCT Abu Dhabi’s key partners, such as Etihad Airways and Experience Hub, showcasing the diverse portfolio of attractions the city has to offer across the culture, entertainment and luxury sectors.

Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at DCT Abu Dhabi said: “WTM is a great opportunity for us to promote Abu Dhabi as a premium tourism destination to travel trade stakeholders across the globe. So far, we have engaged with many stakeholders within the first two days of the event and have had successful meetings with top travel trade executives that will enable us to shape the future of tourism in our beautiful city. We are delighted to be here and are looking forward to what the final two days of this prestigious event will bring.”

Several updates and developments were also shared at the travel exhibition, including the launch of the Yas Expert programme by Experience Hub, a new product training and certification programme for travel agents and industry professionals who wish to master all there is to know about Yas Island. The innovative and interactive online training programme encourages travel agent registration from key global markets. Roll out of the initiative commenced with the GCC, India and the UK and will soon be followed by Russia and China. The programme’s launch underscores Experience Hub’s commitment to collaborating with travel professionals by providing helpful and collaborative tools.

The exhibit also highlighted the update to the Abu Dhabi Calendar app and website, with its revamped interface. The app was developed to become a comprehensive hub for events in Abu Dhabi, enabling visitors to navigate these events and book their tickets anytime, anywhere and with ease. The Abu Dhabi Calendar is available for download on iOS and Android app stores and can be accessed through web browsers on https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/see.and.do/leisure/events.aspx.

World Travel Market is the leading travel industry exhibition in the UK, with over 5,000 exhibitors and around £3 billion of contracts being generated from the 2018 event. Abu Dhabi stakeholders participating in the event include Etihad Airways, Experience Hub, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Qasr Al Watan, Qasr Al Hosn, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts, Park Hyatt, The Ritz Carlton, Rotana Hotels and Resorts, The Westin Abu Dhabi and Yas Marina Circuit.

About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi conserves and promotes the heritage and culture of the Abu Dhabi emirate and leverages them in the development of a world-class, sustainable destination of distinction that enriches the lives of visitors and residents alike. The Department manages the emirate’s tourism sector and markets the destination internationally through a wide range of activities aimed at attracting visitors and investment. Its policies, plans and programmes relate to the preservation of heritage and culture, including protecting archaeological and historical sites and to developing museums, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Zayed National Museum and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. The Department of Culture and Tourism supports intellectual and artistic activities and cultural events to nurture a rich cultural environment and honour the emirate’s heritage.  A key role played by the Department is to create synergy in the destination’s development through close co-ordination with its wide-ranging stakeholder base.