abu dhabi tourism authority (adta) gcc roadshow
visits doha
A delegation led by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) arrived in Qatar yesterday after successfully completing the first leg of the ADTA GCC roadshow 2007 in Saudi Arabia. The roadshow is part of a regional marketing effort to promote Abu Dhabi tourism and the emirate’s plans for developments in the tourism sector. The roadshow aims to strengthen partnership with travel trade and media in the GCC markets and to boost Abu Dhabi’s position on the tourism map.
ADTA Director General Mubarak Al Muhairi said the GCC market is a priority on the ADTA regional marketing and promotion strategy and the roadshow is an excellent opportunity to reinforce relations between key players in the travel and tourism industry in Abu Dhabi and their partners. He stressed that the wealth and diversity of tourism products and the overall investment boom in Abu Dhabi make the Emirate a richly attractive tourism destination for GCC travelers. This is asserted by the high occupancy rates in Abu Dhabi hotels.
Commenting on the occupancy rate, Al Muhairi said it hit 84.4% in 2006 as compared to 78.4% in the previous year. It is currently achieving a growth rate of 7.6%. He added that the total number of visitors to Abu Dhabi stood at 1.345 million, a growth of 12% as compared to the year 2005. From this number, he stressed that visitors from Qatar reached 39,697 tourists, totaling 66,521 guests nights with occupancy of 34,150 hotel nights.
The roadshow delegation promoted the latest holiday packages on offer in Abu Dhabi this summer. Presentations on Abu Dhabi attractions were delivered by partners. Travelers can enjoy a wide variety of leisure and recreation activities from entertainment; to shopping with excellent retail offerings. In addition to, a range of luxurious family and residential accommodation as well as excellent airline services and schedules accessible from all over the region.
The roadshow was launched in Jeddah Saudi Arabia on the 23rd of June and will end in Kuwait today. Qatar is the third roadshow destination where the delegation met with travel trade to explore means of collaboration and to raise awareness of the various attractions that Abu Dhabi can offer. This was followed by a reception and gala dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel in Doha.
ADTA is joined by its partners from the travel and tourism industry in Abu Dhabi including Etihad Airways, Emirates Place, Royal Jet, Al Raha Beach Hotel, Mercure Grand Jebel Hafeet Hotel, Danat Beach Resort, Mirfa Hotels and Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC).
