Tourism on the rise
After a record-breaking year in 2017—the Emirate attracted 4.88 million visitors—Abu Dhabi expects to attract even more in 2018, with estimates of nearly 6 million hotel guests, the Director General of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism, Saif Saeed Ghobash, confirmed. Looking at the Emirate overall, visitors to Abu Dhabi city increased at a higher pace (10.3%) than the Al Ain region, accounting for 88% (4.29 million) of tourists to the Emirate. Visitors to the city were able to benefit from the wide offer of 131 hotels.
Meanwhile, the Al Ain Region, with 20 hotels, accounted for 9% of tourists, after experiencing an increase of 5.5% and approximately 450,000 visitors. The Al Dhafra region and its 11 hotels grew its arrivals by 8.2%, to 130,180. Despite all these, arrivals in 1Q2018 and 2Q2018 to Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) declined by around 10% compared to the same period in 2017, which implies growing traffic through Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai Al Maktoum Airport (DWC).
By nationality, tourist arrivals from China in 2017 saw the highest increase, at 61%, totaling 372,433 tourists. This extraordinary increase makes China the most important tourism market for Abu Dhabi and comes after a strategy in the country marked by the introduction of visas on arrival for Chinese citizens in 2016.
The second-largest tourism market for Abu Dhabi is India, from where tourist arrivals reached 360,364, with an increase of 11% versus 2016. Following a very intense and innovative marketing campaign by Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture & Tourism (DCT) in the UK and the US over 2017, these two source markets yielded an increase in tourists to the Emirate of 14% and 24%, respectively, over that period.
New tourism products
The success of Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector is partially due to the opening of new tourism attractions that have drawn the attention of frequent travelers worldwide. The opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi in November 2017 has strengthened its cultural offering, adding to landmarks such as the Sheikh Zayed Grande Mosque. Launched in 2018, Abu Dhabi Culture app will serve as a handy travel tool for culture seekers in the Emirate.
With operations started in July 2018, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi became one of Abu Dhabi’s top destinations for families. One of the world’s largest indoor theme parks, it offers various immersive worlds, from Gotham City to Cartoon Junction.
SOURCE: www.thebusinessyear.com