JEDDAH — Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) is touring a number of GCC cities later this month in a promotional campaign featuring Abu Dhabi's unique tourist offering to boost shoulder season tourism growth. Representatives of TCA Abu Dhabi's tourism sector is meeting with the travel and tourism's key players in each country to showcase the emirate's various destinations that combine sea and water attractions, modern entertainment, desert spas and retreats, heritage and cultural sites and charming oases. TCA Abu Dhabi also highlights the opportunities and facilities available for the business tourism segment though the incentives and services offered by Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau (Abu Dhabi CB). “TCA Abu Dhabi is back to touring the major cities of the Arabian Gulf, following the highly successful campaign during the holy month of Ramadan. We will be providing more attractive offers to encourage our GCC guests to enjoy their time in Abu Dhabi and stay longer, especially that the weather has started to cool down,” said Sultan Al Mansouri, KSA Country Manager, TCA Abu Dhabi, with responsibility for the GCC. TCA Abu Dhabi's roadshow kicked off at Grand Hyatt Muscat in the Omani capital last Aug. 26 and then proceeds to Kuwait City to meet the country's forerunners in tourism at the Regency Hotel Kuwait today (Aug. 30). Doha will be the next major stop on Sept. 1 at Sharq Village & Spa, managed by Ritz-Carlton, before heading off to the InterContinental Regency Bahrain the following day. The roadshow in Saudi Arabia will start at Kempinski Riyadh on Sept. 6, then moves to Mövenpick Hotel Al Khobar on Sept. 8 and ends at Park Hyatt Jeddah on Sept. 9. Tourists from the GCC are on the list of top 25 nationalities that frequently travel to Abu Dhabi, which has uniquely succeeded in preserving its authentic, traditional characters. Recent statistics indicate that Abu Dhabi's hotels received more than 62,499 hotel guests from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the first half of 2015, an impressive increase of 28% compared to the same period of last year. Abu Dhabi also received 30,909 hotel guests from the Sultanate of Oman, an increase of 15%, 13,306 guests from Kuwait and 13,156 guests from Qatar. “Our current roadshow combines meeting with the leaders of the travel and tourism sector in the GCC and representatives of prominent media organizations in their respective countries. The meetings focus on the collection of upcoming cultural and art activities listed on Abu Dhabi's agenda, all the while calling attention to the promotional offers extended to visitors by the emirate's hotels and shopping centers as they play a major role in attracting visitors,” added Al Mansoori. Abu Dhabi's highly anticipated events are expected to draw a large number of visitors from neighboring GCC countries, especially celebratory activities for September's Eid Al Adha bringing together a group of top-tier Arab singing stars to grace the stage in Abu Dhabi City, Al Ain and the Western Region. An array of cultural and heritage events will follow in October including the seventh edition of Al Ain Reads Book Show which will focus on local publishers and hosts preeminent Emirati writers in open discussion sessions, and the National Traditional Handicrafts Festival, considered a major attraction for everyone interested in reviving traditional crafts. In November, all eyes will be on the UAE capital during the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Furthermore, Abu Dhabi Art will captivate modern art enthusiasts as one of the region's leading art events, and the return of the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival will be a visitor magnet with its interactive aspect that brings back to memory original arts and traditions in the vast area it occupies in Al Wathba region amid spectacular sand dunes. “The roadshow presents a wonderful opportunity for us to profile the excellent facilities available in Abu Dhabi to GCC businessmen and entrepreneurs through the Convention Bureau's wide-ranging cluster of free consultation services,” said Mubarak Al Shamisi, Director Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau. “Abu Dhabi has emerged as an international destination for the specialized Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions (MICE) tourism and global events. Investors from the GCC will find plenty of opportunities to strike major deals in Abu Dhabi, in cooperation with a far-reaching network of experienced, highly-qualified partners across all economic fields and events,” added Al Shamsi. Abu Dhabi CB has revitalized the emirate's business, specialized exhibitions and incentives tourism sector which has seen remarkable growth over the past five years. More than 24 major international conferences and business meetings were held in Abu Dhabi in 2014, with some events hosting in excess of 5,000 delegates. — SG
