Tag Archives: Abu Dhabi

The number of hotel guests staying in Abu Dhabi increased by 4.9 per cent during the first five months of 2018 compared to the same period last year. According to statistics from the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), 162 hotels, resorts and hotel apartments offering 31,236 rooms across the emirate welcomed 2,073,586 guests during January to May. The occupancy rate has averaged 75 per cent during the same period, with a 1.4 per cent increase, while the average length of stay was 2.7 nights, an increase of 2.4 per cent compared to the same period in 2017, with China topping the number of visitors, recording 192,500 visitors, an increase of 19.9 per cent. India came in second with 166,700 guests and a 22.2 per cent increase, followed by the UK with 119,900 amounting to a 12.7 per cent increase, the United States with 82,300 guests and a 25.7 per cent increase, and Germany with 71,300 guests at a 20 per cent increase. HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary, DCT Abu Dhabi, said, “These results demonstrate steady growth and prove Abu Dhabi’s ability to realise its strategic goals of positioning the emirate as a leading global destination through forward-looking marketing and promotional campaigns that seek to sustain growth.” While the Abu Dhabi Summer Season will run until August 18, the second half of 2018 will witness prominent events such as the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Art in November, and the Abu Dhabi Food Festival in December.

The Embassy of Ireland in Abu Dhabi has opened UAE’s first external visa application centre in partnership with VFS Global. All non-UAE Nationals who are based in the UAE and require a visa to enter Ireland will no longer need to visit the Embassy. They should instead route their visa applications through VFS Global’s centre located in downtown Abu Dhabi. H E Paul Kavanagh, Ambassador of Ireland to the UAE, said, “The new external visa application centre will provide an excellent streamlined service for non-UAE Nationals who are based in the UAE and who require a visa in order to enter Ireland.” UAE Nationals wishing to visit Ireland are exempt from all visa requirements. The Ireland visa application centre in the UAE is the third outsourced processing centre of Ireland in the GCC region in partnership with VFS Global, which now operates such centres for Ireland in 15 countries across the world. The VFS Global visa application centre for Ireland in Abu Dhabi is located at Level 25, Shining Tower on Mubarak bin Mohammed Street next to Khalidiyah Mall. Visa applicants based in the UAE can direct their queries to the call centre number +971 4 2055910 or communicate with the centre via email at info.irelandUAE@vfshelpline.com.

Abu Dhabi has been ranked top in a list of cities in Africa and the Middle East in the McKinsey Global Institute’s study ‘Smart Cities: Digital Solutions for a More Livable Future.’ With a rating of 18.4, Abu Dhabi ranked first in the region ahead of Dubai, which was placed second with a rating of 17.3. Covering 50 international cities, the study looked at how cities all over the world use technology to increase the quality of life across a wide range of criteria, including healthcare, security, mobility, economic development and housing. HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) said, “In today’s digital age, metropolitan cities in the world over are delivering creative ways in which data is used to reinvent the way their city is perceived, explored, interacted with and how services are delivered. Abu Dhabi ranking number one in the study is testimony to our ongoing efforts to establish the emirate as both a destination of distinction and a highly modern location in which international communities want to work, live and do business.”

A delegation led by the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau (ADCB) will attend The Meetings Show – the  event for the inbound and outbound meetings and event industry in the UK – in London on 27th and 28th June 2018, to raise awareness of the emirate as a world-class events, incentive and exhibition hub. The delegation will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with more than 2,300 key buyers on the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau stand over the course of the two days, with the show expected to welcome over 4,800 meetings and events professionals. The UK is the leading European source market and the third largest overseas market for Abu Dhabi, having seen a rise of 13 per cent in UK visitors during 2017, where numbers reached 270,000. Figures for 2018 are looking healthy, with the first four months of the year registering a 13.7 per cent increase compared to 2017. This visit will be the fifth time the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau has participated in The Meetings Show, which each year generates countless event enquiries and exhibition leads for Abu Dhabi. “Each year we see great results from attending The Meetings Show in London, so we are very pleased to bring our 14 stakeholders to the show this year,’ said Sara Abdullah Al Aslai, the Conferences & Exhibitions Unit Head. “The UK market is an incredibly important one for us, with many leading British companies holding events and incentives in Abu Dhabi. However, we continue to strive to attract further interest from meeting and event professionals, and attending events like The Meetings Show in London enhances our presence within the industry.”

Abu Dhabi has decided to cut tourism and municipality fees to boost tourism and spur investments in the hospitality sector. HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi said, “The Executive Council’s decision to adopt the proposal, put forward by the Department of Culture and Tourism- Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), to reduce tourism and municipality fees will enhance the Emirate’s international tourism competitiveness by strengthening Abu Dhabi’s value proposition, and by encouraging investments in the hospitality and tourism sectors. Abu Dhabi’s hotel establishments will be further able to record high occupancy rates compared to the regional and global tourism markets. “With this decision, hotels and hospitality establishments can achieve more growth and stay in line with the continuous development of the emirate’s infrastructure and its wide variety of cultural and leisure attractions. The adoption of the proposal will enhance Abu Dhabi’s attractiveness to investors and support the development of additional tourism projects and hotels. It will also strengthen the emirate’s position as a leading tourism destination for both business and leisure.” HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi said, “The adoption of the new tourism and municipality fees is driven by the leadership’s vision to support the hospitality and tourism sectors and encourage further economic diversification. This move will attract further investment to the capital and underpin Abu Dhabi’s aim to expand its tourism proposition and increase visitor numbers.”

Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi’s new luxurious beachfront resort, will open on November 11, 2018. Surrounded by natural beauty, the  beachfront resort is just 10 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 20 minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport. Located on a stunning island, overlooking turquoise waters and protected sand dunes, the 293 room hotel values sustainable tourism and will be plastic bottle and plastic straw free. In partnership with Trust Your Water, the hotel will provide solutions to eliminate the need for single use plastic water bottles. Proposed measures include complimentary, reusable plastic bottles for all guests who will be encouraged to refill at water stations throughout the hotel. In addition, local filtered water will be served in glass bottles throughout the resort. The modern and light rooms feature expansive sea views and six panoramic suites offer floor-to-ceiling glass walls which can open up to take advantage of the sea breeze. The eight food and beverage outlets include the chic all-day dining venue White for buffets and live cooking stations; Mare Mare for fresh and authentic Italian summer food; Levantine inspired TEAN for mezzes and grills next to the beach and Al Majilis for a cup of rich roasted coffee and patisseries.

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), in partnership with Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) and key golf stakeholders, recently concluded the first Abu Dhabi Golf Tourism Week event, held at key hotels and attractions across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. The five-day event welcomed current and prospective golf tour operators supported by significant media coverage from 15 countries across Europe and Asia to the UAE capital to showcase Abu Dhabi as a destination of distinction and outline its unique offerings, in particular the Championship Golf. Abu Dhabi is very proud to have four unique yet complementary Championship golf courses to offer; Abu Dhabi Golf Club hosts the European Tour every January, Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club is home to the Faldo Series, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is designed by the famous Gary Player and is the host venue to the Ladies European Tour, whilst Yas Links has been ranked No. 46 in the world by Golf Digest USA. Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director, Promotion & Overseas Offices Department – DCT Abu Dhabi, said, “We are delighted to have organised Abu Dhabi Golf Tourism Week in partnership with Abu Dhabi Sports Council and other stakeholders. Through these events, we aim to strengthen and promote the capital as a premier golfing destination and educate tour operators across the globe about Abu Dhabi’s luxurious golf courses.”

The participation of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2018 concluded after four  days showcasing distinct business growth, increased tourist arrivals and significant new partnership deals. Leading a large delegation to ATM, DCT Abu Dhabi was joined by 77 stakeholders representing more than 90 products in order to build further momentum behind increased guest arrival numbers. Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector is enjoying steady growth as the emirate continues to position itself as an attractive destination for visitors and investors alike. In 2017, Abu Dhabi attracted a record number of guests, around 5 million (4,875,499), which was a growth of 9.8% on the previous year. Abu Dhabi is now targeting an annual increase of 11%. This year, DCT Abu Dhabi achieved record first quarter hotel traffic amounting to a 10.9% rise over the corresponding period of 2017. This growth was driven by a surge of visitors from the UK, Germany, India, China, United States and the GCC region. On the back of this impressive performance, the Department is moving closer to achieving its target of welcoming 8.5 million guests to Abu Dhabi by 2021. HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary, DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Abu Dhabi is an inspiring destination and we invite visitors to truly experience its authentic cultural heritage and world-class facilities. The consecutive increases for guest arrivals is clear testament to the Emirate’s growing international appeal. At ATM, we have successfully positioned the capital as a global destination of distinction built on unique experiences and a rich cultural heritage.”

The number of  guests staying in Abu Dhabi’s 163 hotels and hotel apartments in March reached to 464,960, representing an increase of 12.3% compared to the same month last year, according to a report by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi . This means that the total number of hotel guests in the first three months of the year was 1,289,537, a year-on-year increase of 10.9% with key international markets registering impressive percentage gains. During the month, the numbers of visitors from leading international source market China increased by 15.4% to number 40,800, Indian guests increased by 32% to number 35,200 and the UK increased by 24% to reach 28,000. Other key markets, notably the United States and Germany, also registered double-digit increases with the US up 29% to 19,300 and Germany rising 36% to 18,800 guests. The figures follow a record-breaking 2017 when just shy of five million visitors stayed in Abu Dhabi city, Al Al Ain Region and Al Dhafra’s range of accommodation. UAE-based guests also increased in March to number 134,631, a rise from March 2017’s total of 130,125. The first quarter of this year has seen China maintain its position as leading international hotel guest supplier, with more than 127,000 Chinese staying in the emirate. Indian visitors have surged past 100,000 and showed a 30% increase. HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary, DCT Abu Dhabi, said, “Our progress in attracting more people to explore the emirate as a visitor destination.Our targeted marketing investment in key source markets is being rewarded with impressive double-digit growth as our global awareness grows and we develop into a ‘must visit’ destination built on unique experiences and rich cultural heritage”.

Rotana has announced a new management agreement in the capital of Egypt at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2018 in Dubai. The agreement for a new 200-room five-star in New Cairo City will bring the company’s total inventory in the country to 726 keys. Marking the company’s strong presence at the annual industry event, Rotana is sharing key updates about its robust pipeline of 48 properties that are scheduled for opening before 2020. The company currently operates 16,161 keys across its 60 hotels in 23 cities and with the launch of the hotels under construction, Rotana will have a presence in 40 cities globally. Among key Rotana hotels on display at the exhibition, include the company’s three latest openings in the UAE. Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas, a luxurious five-star hotel in Abu Dhabi, took centrestage at the exhibition. With a soft opening in March 2018, the luxury resort is situated on Saadiyat Beach, a nine-kilometre stretch of white sand on the sprawling Saadiyat Island and features 354 luxurious rooms and suites in addition to 13 private beach villas. To make it appealing to discerning leisure, business and MiCE guests seeking a new resort and destination experience, the one-of-a-kind five-star property features seven modern dining options, three fully-equipped banquet and event rooms, a ballroom and an outdoor event venue.